The Accident
by Klutzygirl33
Summary: After he and Mark are involved in a fatal car accident, Derek struggles to stay alive and not fall apart.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's Anatomy or Private Practice.

Warning: Death scene.

* * *

Derek Shepherd and Meredith Grey-Shepherd loved going to Miller's Restaurant, especially with Mark Sloan and Addison Forbes Montgomery-Sloan.

Tonight, Meredith and Addison were a party held by Erica Hahn and Callie Torres, so Mark and Derek were on their own at Miller's Restaurant. They were still best friends and didn't realize everything was about to crash down on them.

"How's Addison feeling?" Derek asked Mark. Addison was seven months pregnant at the age of forty-three so Derek was worried about ex-wife.

Mark sighed. "Her blood pressure's down, but her mood swings are driving me crazy," he explained. Derek laughed. Meredith wasn't pregnant yet, but they had just started trying. Addison's pregnancy had been unexpected since she was supposed to be barren.

"You still have two months left," Derek sing-songed. He would later regret reminding his best friend of how much time Addison had left in her pregnancy, because Mark would miss it.

It was a normal night for Derek and Mark, but everything would change in a few hours.

At 8:30PM, Derek and Mark left the restaurant, laughing about a joke they had heard. The two got into Mark's car, talking about what they planned to do next weekend.

"Are you sure you want to go to Joe's? We do that a lot," Mark said as the car pulled out of the parking lot.

"I'm sure," Derek told him as he turned the radio on. He and Mark loved going to Joe's.

Five minutes later the two were talking about the latest movies, not knowing what was about to occur.

Derek turned his head to the left, and saw bright lights heading towards the car on Mark's side. Mark also noticed the lights. He tried speeding up to avoid the semi, but it wasn't meant to be.

Mark felt the impact first, and struggled not to cry out in pain. Derek began screaming when the car started to flip. The car flipped several times, and to Derek, it felt like forever. Mark hurt too much to even realize that the car was flipping.

In reality, the car had only flipped four times during an entire minute and ten seconds.

Derek screamed out of pure happiness when the car stopped flipping, despite the fact that the car was upside down and every window had been shattered. He began to feel pain all over, and noticed he was bleeding, but Derek's main focus was on Mark. Mark looked hurt a whole lot worse than him. Mark's head was bleeding badly.

"Hurts," Mark gasped out to Derek, blood bubbling up out of his mouth. He hurt so much.

"Need to get out of here. You'll be fine," Derek assured Mark, even though he was panicking. Mark had internal injuries _and _a head injury. He could have more injuries than that too. That was the moment Derek realized things were very, very bad.

"Not…this time," Mark gasped. He had known from the moment the car had stopped flipping that he was going to die.

"Think positive," Derek encouraged, feeling blood build up in his throat. He also had internal injuries, so their situation had just become worse.

"I'm…dying," Mark insisted, panting so he wouldn't throw up.

"No, you're not," Derek told him sharply, even though he knew it was probably true. He just didn't want to believe it. Derek briefly wondered how they were both still conscious, but pushed the thought away.

"Sorry," Mark whispered, wondering when an ambulance was going to show up. He wasn't going to make it, but Derek could still get help.

"Don't you dare apologize," Derek warned, accidentally spitting out blood and trying to quash his rising panic.

Mark tried to smile, but didn't have the energy. He was so cold. "You'll… be fine," he whispered.

"Stop saying goodbye. You're not dying," Derek insisted, trying to remain in denial.

"Tell Addison… love her. Tell baby… how much I love her," Mark said, wishing he would stop hurting.

"Tell them yourself," Derek whispered, hoping the ambulance would get there fast.

"Love you… too," Mark gasped out, knowing that Derek needed to hear it. Mark and Derek didn't say that very often. They had said it upon becoming friends again, but that had been the last time.

Derek reluctantly let a few years fall as his denial fell away. "I love you too," he whispered. Derek grabbed onto Mark's hand and held it for a minute before Mark's eyes closed for good.

In a moment of complete irony, Derek heard the siren of an ambulance only thirty seconds later. He struggled to stay conscious and not think about how cold Mark's hand felt. Derek felt numb.

"Sir, can you hear me?" the EMS worker asked. She couldn't believe that anyone had managed to survive.

"Mark's dead and I hurt," Derek explained, his eyes closing. He slipped into unconsciousness.

Derek woke up in the ambulance with an oxygen mask on. Everything looked blurry.

"Can you hear me?" asked the same EMS worker. She had never seen a more horrific car accident. She knew that she'd have nightmares for weeks about this night.

Derek nodded and tried to pull off his oxygen mask. "Seattle Grace," he whispered before putting the mask back on.

"We were going to take you there anyway. Sir, what is your name?" Lisa asked.

"Dr. Derek Shepherd," he said, wishing to slip into unconsciousness again. Everything hurt so much. Derek grabbed onto Lisa's hand when the pain spiked unexpectedly. Lisa watched in horror as his eyes closed again.

Lisa tried to wake him up, but her partner Matt had to grab the paddles when Derek's heart stopped.

His heart started back up just as the ambulance arrived at Seattle Grace.

"He has severe injuries and flat lined on the way here," Lisa explained to a very shocked Lexie Grey.

"What happened?" George asked her, horrified to even see one of his best friend's husbands as a patient.

"A semi hit the driver's side. The car flipped several times. We had to use the Jaws of Life to get him out," Matt frantically explained as Derek was wheeled into a trauma room.

"His wife needs to be contacted immediately," Lisa said. She and Matt turned around and reluctantly left Seattle Grace.

Dr. Bailey, now in the room, turned to order Lexie and George to help her. She found George frozen.

"What's wrong?" Lexie asked her boyfriend. George was freaking her out.

"There were too fatalities reported. The driver of the semi and someone else. Mark and Derek were together tonight," a horrified George informed Lexie and Bailey.

Lexie gasped while Bailey struggled to focus on Derek.

"He needs surgery immediately," Bailey declared. They were going to lose Derek fast if they didn't do something.

"He's losing too much blood. He's going to need a transfusion," George said, wondering who was going to call Meredith and Addison.

"He's hurt so bad he may not even make it through the night," Lexie whispered, trying to stop the bleeding. She couldn't find a source for the blood loss because Derek was bleeding so much.

Meredith and Addison burst through the doors fifteen minutes later. Alex, Izzie, Cristina, Callie, and Erica were with them.

Lexie had reluctantly stayed back to talk to her sister and friend.

"They said one of them died," Meredith cried, her hands shaking. She looked freaked out beyond belief.

Tears came to Lexie's eyes. She had broken the news of death to family members before, but this was the hardest. Lexie took a deep breath and turned to Addison. Addison turned pale, just knowing it was her husband who had died. "Mark's injuries were too extensive. He was DOA," Lexie tearfully informed her.

Addison's knees buckled, and she would have collapsed if Alex hadn't pushed a chair under her.

"What about Derek?" a terrified Meredith asked, numb about Mark's death. She had never felt fear like this before the phone call she had received nearly thirty minutes before.

"He has internal bleeding, blood loss, and countless other injuries. He flat lined in the ambulance. Derek's in surgery now," Lexie explained, not sure how her sister was going to react. She wasn't even going to tell Meredith that Derek surviving his surgery or at all was unlikely.

"Was he unconscious when he was brought in?" Meredith asked, not really sure if she wanted to know.

"He was unconscious upon arrival, but conscious in the car," Lexie explained. She looked down at her white coat and was shocked to see how bloody it was.

"Do they need any help?" Alex asked, needing to do something. He was trying not to think about Mark's death and Derek possibly dying.

Lexie shrugged, just as Meredith swayed for a second and passed out.

Izzie and Alex picked her up and set her on a bed. Erica went to go see if she was needed, while Callie tried to wake Meredith up.

Four hours later, an extremely bloody Bailey entered the waiting room. Alex helped Meredith stand up, while Cristina stood beside her in support.

"Is he okay?" Meredith asked, praying her husband was alive. Fate wouldn't be so cruel to kill both Mark and Derek.

Bailey sighed. "He has extensive injuries, Meredith. He lost blood, has internal injuries, and numerous other problems. We stopped most of the internal bleeding. Derek had a transfusion. He'll need more surgery to fix the internal bleeding. He flat lined during the surgery, but we revived him. We're going to do the other surgery as soon as he's stable enough. Unfortunately, we're not sure he's going to make it through the day," she explained. It was a miracle Derek had survived this long. Bailey felt numb, just like she had been after her mother's death.

Meredith's face crumpled and she burst into sobs. This was too much for her handle. Addison murmured in her sleep, but didn't wake up. She had fallen asleep about two hours earlier, her pregnancy and grief working against her.

"I suggest you call family," Bailey told Meredith, turning to leave the emergency room. Derek needed constant care.

"I can call Derek's family," Izzie told Meredith. She couldn't believe this was happening.

"I'll do it," Meredith insisted, checking her watch. She was shocked to see the time was 1:07AM.

"Are you sure?" Callie asked. She was really worried about Meredith and Addison.

Meredith nodded and went up to the payphone. Cristina had followed her, so she dialed the number that Meredith had told her. Meredith's hands had been shaking so much that she couldn't touch the buttons.

"Who is this?" a tired Laura Shepherd asked. Her eyes couldn't focus on the alarm clock, but Laura knew it was late.

"Laura?" asked the sobbing Meredith, wishing her mother-in-law was in Seattle. She really liked Laura and needed her right now.

Laura's maternal instincts kicked in immediately, as did fear. Her alarm clock read 1:11AM. "What's wrong?" Laura asked. She dreaded the answer.

Meredith sobbed again. "Mark and Derek were in a car accident," she cried hysterically. It hurt too much to continue on.

"Which one of them is hurt?" Laura demanded. Her daughter-in-law did not sound good and she was scaring her.

Meredith just continued sobbing so Cristina took the phone. "Mrs. Shepherd?" she asked.

"Cristina, how badly are they hurt?" a frantic Laura asked. She loved Mark like he was her own son.

Cristina sighed. "Mark's injuries were too severe. I'm sorry, Mrs. Shepherd. Derek is badly hurt. You need to come," she explained softly, hoping to soften the blow.

Laura felt laughter bubbling up, a reaction she got under stress. She laughed hysterically upon Christopher's death from cancer, and that had been expected. "His sisters and I will be there as soon as possible," Laura vowed. She hung up the phone and dialed Nancy. Nancy would tell Kathleen, Regina, and Josie.

After hanging up with Nancy, Laura dialed the number of the airport. She wanted to get her family on the next available flight.

At 8:00AM, Derek was rushed back to surgery for the internal bleeding. It had worsened. Addison was wide awake by then, but not talking. She just stared in space. Izzie had attributed it to shock and had given the pregnant woman a blanket.

"This has been the longest night of my life," Meredith told Lexie. She was scared and felt impatient. Webber had come by around 3:30AM, and had given Meredith the day off.

"Think positive," Lexie told her, immediately regretting it. Derek was probably dying, so telling his wife to think positive was stupid.

Meredith glared at Lexie, but continued to worry about her husband.

At 11:00AM, one of the surgeons came out. "We fixed the internal bleeding, but he is still injured badly. I'm sorry, Dr. Grey-Shepherd, but he may not make it through the day," Morgan Winslow explained, hating the fact that one of her co-workers was dying and his wife was another co-worker.

At 1:13PM, the Shepherd family entered Seattle Grace in a panic.

"We had to wait for a later flight. How he is?" Josie Shepherd-Milston asked. She hoped her brother was still alive.

"He's fine for now, but still in critical condition," George explained, trying to be as far away from the Shepherds as possible. They scared him.

"Are you still scared of us?" an amused Regina Shepherd-Williams asked. Regina always tried to find humor in the midst of tragedy.

"No," George lied, still hoping to keep the girls away. Nancy scared him the most.

"How's Meredith?" asked a worried Kathleen Shepherd-Davis. She was worried about both her brother and sister-in-law.

"She's panicking because Derek may not make it," Lexie explained, happy that Cristina and Izzie were with her sister in the cafeteria.

"That's to be expected," Kathleen said. She sighed as her phone rang. Her daughter, sixteen month old Juliana, had the flu, and Kathleen's husband Rick was taking care of their kids.

After Kathleen hung up the phone a few minutes later, the Shepherds watched in horror as alarms began blaring in Derek's room. George and Lexie bolted to the room.

George came out of Derek's room about ten minutes later, wheeling him in the gurney down the hall.

"What happened?" Meredith asked, hoping beyond belief that something bad hadn't happened to her husband.

"He went into cardiac arrest," Webber explained, having been paged by Bailey. He couldn't believe this was happening to Derek and his "daughter". Richard had walked Meredith down the aisle at her and Derek's wedding.

Meredith gasped and walked backwards into a chair.

"Is he going to be okay?" Callie asked as Erica joined Bailey, George, and Lexie.

Webber sighed. "We don't know yet, unfortunately. Everything is touch and go right now." He hoped everything turned out fine for the Shepherds, but that didn't look like it was going to happen.

"I don't feel so good," Meredith muttered, turning pale. She bolted towards the bathroom. Cristina followed her.

"I have to make arrangements," a crying Addison told Laura after Richard left. She couldn't think straight.

"Do you want me to help you," Laura asked Addison. Laura was very worried about Addison and her unborn daughter.

"Please," Addison pleaded, not caring she sounded. She really loved Laura and needed her help.

"Sweetie, you need to calm down. This isn't good for the baby," Laura gently told her. Her own son may be dying, and the son she had practically raised was already dead, but she needed to do something to take her mind off of it. Helping Addison meant that she could focus on one thing.

"Evangeline," Addison corrected through her tears.

"Why'd you choose that?" Nancy asked, hoping something could distract her from the horror of the past day.

"Mark wanted to name her Evangeline, but I was pushing for Veronica. I think she'll be Evangeline now," Addison explained. Upon learning the gender of their baby, Mark had started referring to their daughter as Angel. He had then looked at the baby book, and found Evangeline.

"Evangeline is a beautiful name," Izzie told Addison. Addison smiled at the woman.

"What's her full name going to be?" Alex asked her, wondering if everyone could get Addison strong in the aftermath of Mark's death and possibly Derek's.

Addison sighed. "Evangeline Hope Montgomery-Sloan," she announced. Hope had been chosen the middle name from the beginning, despite her first name.

"Why not Veronica as a middle name?" a curious Callie asked. Veronica was a pretty name.

"Hope is something we had before we even learned of my pregnancy. I had hope that we would have a baby somehow, and we are," she explained. Maybe she would adopt several children, and name a girl Veronica. Evangeline was more important to her now than the name of Veronica.

"That's sweet," Laura assured her. Mark had always seemed like a sentimental man, despite the fact that he liked to sleep with so many women.

Cristina returned with Meredith a few minutes later. "Are you okay?" Nancy asked her daughter-in-law. She still hated Meredith, but now was not the time to be mean.

"We think she's pregnant," Cristina bluntly informed them.

"Cristina," whined Meredith. She couldn't believe Cristina had just done that to her.

"I'll draw some blood," Lexie told her sister, wishing different hopes at once. She hoped that Meredith wasn't pregnant, but she also hoped that Meredith was pregnant in case Derek died. If Meredith was pregnant and Derek was dead, at least he could live on in their child.

"At least we'll be pregnant widows together," Addison muttered when Meredith and Lexie went to go get her tested.

"Addison," warned Laura. She knew Addison was acting irrationally, but that was no excuse to say that.

"Sorry," Addison apologized. She didn't even know why she had said it. As Addison and Laura worked on arrangements for Mark's funeral, the Shepherd sisters talked about how they could help Meredith and Derek, if he survived.

"What about your friends in California?" Laura asked, remembering that Addison had lived in California for a brief time.

"I'll call them," Addison said, trying to get up. When she couldn't get up, Alex helped her stand.

"Do you need me?" a worried Callie asked. She wasn't sure how much more Addison could take.

"I'm fine," Addison assured her, even though she wasn't sure if she was.

"I'll go with you," Nancy told her. She wasn't about to leave her former sister-in-law alone.

Addison sighed, but she didn't say anything. She was secretly glad for the company. She didn't know what she was going to do after Evangeline's birth. She had never expected to be alone. She had never expected to become a widow at forty-three. She couldn't imagine Meredith's reaction to becoming a widow at thirty-three if Derek died.

"Hey, Addie. How's everything going?" Naomi asked. She couldn't wait for Addison to have the baby.

Addison choked back a sob. "Mark and Derek were in a car accident, Nae. Mark's dead and Derek may be dying. I need you guys," she sobbed.

Naomi stared at the phone in shock. She couldn't really comprehend the fact that her best friend's husband was dead and her ex-husband was probably dying. "We'll be there as soon as we can," Naomi promised, wanting to be there for her pregnant friend.

"I'll see you later," Addison told her, sobbing. She hung up the phone and grabbed Nancy's hand. Addison needed human contact.

They returned to the waiting room, waiting to hear news about Derek. It was going to be a long day.

TBC

* * *

The plot for this story hit on Saturday, and wouldn't leave me alone. It took me three days just to get ten pages. This was originally going to be a one-shot, but I changed my mind.

The next chapter will be up tomorrow, because it's still not leaving me alone. The plot literally won't leave me alone. I can't even get to sleep because my mind won't stop racing about this story.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's Anatomy or Private Practice.

* * *

"I think I want his funeral to be on Tuesday," Addison explained to Laura, her voice hoarse.

"It's Saturday. Wouldn't Monday be better?" Laura asked. She knew how it felt to be pregnant and widowed. She had been eight months pregnant with Josie upon Chris' death. Regina had been eighteen months old, Derek had been four, Kathleen had been five, and Nancy had been six.

"I know what I want," Addison insisted. She had to stay strong for herself and Evangeline.

"Okay," Laura agreed, letting it go. Grief and pregnancy did not mix well at all, she knew that.

"I feel horrible and I want to see Derek," a slightly hysterical Meredith told Alex.

"They're checking him to make sure there's no damage from the heart attack," Alex gently told her. Meredith was not going to take Derek's death well if he did die.

"I don't want him to die," Meredith wailed, finally knowing what Derek had felt after she drowned.

"We know that, but if does, we're here for you," Callie assured her. She hoped Derek survived.

"Do you want two viewings?" Laura asked Addison. Addison nodded.

"What am I supposed to tell Evangeline when she asks about her daddy?" Addison asked through tear-filled eyes. She didn't know what to do. Everything was jumbled inside her head.

Laura sighed. "You have to remember that I was had four young children and was pregnant when Chris died." Addison sighed in anger.

"I've heard this story before," Addison complained. Why was Laura telling her this again?

"Addison Forbes Montgomery-Sloan, don't yell at me. It was hard explaining to my children what had happened to their daddy. Nancy took it the hardest. She was a Daddy's Girl. Kathleen understood somehow, and she chose to be strong about Chris' death. She knew her mommy and siblings needed her. Derek didn't understand and neither did Mark. Regina was too young, but she cried for her daddy for weeks. Josie never got to meet him. I always felt horrible about that," Laura wistfully explained.

"Was Josie a planned pregnancy? You were eight months pregnant when Chris died, and Nancy told me that you had two had known for fourteen months about his cancer," Addison said. She had always been curious about that.

Laura smiled. "Regina was only four months old when Chris was diagnosed. When we learned the cancer was terminal, I just knew that I was going to be raising four kids on my own. Josie wasn't planned. I actually was angry when I learned of my fifth pregnancy. It would be hard enough with four kids, but five? Chris convinced me it was a good thing. I wasn't so sure, but he changed my mind. I'm so glad my parents moved in for a few years to help me out." She came out of her memories and gave a watery smile to Addison.

"What made you choose the name Josephine instead of naming her after Chris?" asked a curious Addison. She had always wanted to ask, but never had.

"Once we found out we were having another girl, Chris scoured the baby book. He was sick, but looked anyway. Chris told me that the name wouldn't leave him alone. I loved the name too. But I chose Erin as a middle name because Chris' full name was Christopher Aaron Shepherd. I wanted to honor my husband," Laura explained. She sighed and went back to the plans.

"Why all are of your children doctors?" Cristina questioned. She thought that was unusual.

Laura sighed. "Chris was a pediatrician and I was a nurse. My babies all found a field they loved. They followed in their father's footsteps. You know Nancy and Derek's specialties. Kathleen is a psychologist. Regina's an oncologist. Josie is a pediatrician. I'm glad they're all doctors. Some of my grandkids want to be doctors," she replied.

Erica came into the waiting room. Everyone stood up. "Derek's heart wasn't damaged, but we're still going to monitor him. He is currently stable, but still in critical condition. His survival is still touch and go. She turned around and walked out.

Meredith gasped in happiness, but turned pale and once again bolted to the bathroom. Nancy followed her sister-in-law.

"She's definitely pregnant," Laura murmured. She recognized the signs, having been pregnant five times and working as a nurse in the maternity ward.

"Should we call Mark's brother and sister?" Addison questioned. She wasn't sure. Mark had been estranged from Kyle and Natalie for years. He had invited them to the wedding because Addison had forced him to, but they hadn't showed up. Mark had been closer to the Shepherds anyway.

"They deserve to know," Laura said, although she despised Kyle and Natalie. Kyle and Natalie had never treated Mark well. Neither had his alcoholic mother Maureen. His father James had died in prison.

"I'll call," Addison said. Laura went to protest, but Addison's friends entered the room.

"Are you okay?" Violet asked. She knew how much Addison had loved Mark.

Addison shook her head and began crying again. She let Naomi hug her.

Meredith returned, and she looked a little better. Lexie smiled at her sister, Meredith's blood test having been analyzed.

"How are you doing?" Dell asked Meredith. He really liked the doctor.

"Not good," Meredith answered honestly. She was exhausted and depressed.

Lexie motioned her sister over. "You're pregnant," she excitedly whispered to Meredith as Molly entered the room. Lexie had called her awhile ago, and she hadn't been able to get a baby-sitter.

"How are you?" Molly asked. She loved Meredith, and worried about her older sister.

"I'm pregnant," Meredith dazedly informed her, but everyone heard that. They all hugged Meredith.

"Congratulations," Bailey told her. She had come to tell Meredith that Derek seemed to be improving, but it was still touch and go.

"How is he?" Josie asked. She didn't want her brother to die.

"He's improving, but still in critical condition," Bailey informed Meredith. She sighed as Meredith began to cry.

"Can anyone go see him?" questioned Laura. Derek hadn't had any visitors, and her only son probably needed them.

"One person for ten minutes, and that's it," Bailey allowed. She figured Meredith would go in.

"I'll go," Nancy declared. She wanted to see her brother.

"No, Meredith will go," Laura insisted. Like Nancy, she disliked Meredith, but she had precedence over them. Nancy glared at her mother, but urged Meredith to go.

Meredith went into her husband's room. He hadn't woken up yet, but that had been because of his multiple surgeries. The only head injury Derek had suffered had been a minor concussion and a few cuts.

"How are you, Dr. Grey-Shepherd?" asked one of the nurses. She had been assigned to Derek even though she didn't work in the ICU, where he had been taken to after the last surgery.

"Trying to cope," Meredith answered. She knew the nurse, but couldn't place her. Without Derek, she couldn't think straight.

"Things will improve," the nurse assured Meredith. She left the room.

"Hi, Derek. You have to wake up. You need to live. I need you. The baby needs you. Guess what? I'm pregnant. You can't die, Derek. It's not your time to go. You've helped me so much. I'm going to fall apart if you die on me. Don't you dare leave me. You're it. You're my soul mate, Derek. I love you. You need to fight. Just hold on, and keep fighting. You're still alive, despite flat lining twice and a cardiac arrest. Everything will be fine. Wake up and fight. Our baby and I need you. I have to go now, but remember what I said." Meredith smiled and kissed her husband on the forehead. She went back to the waiting room.

"We should do an ultrasound," Lexie said. She wanted to see how far along her sister was, and give Meredith a prescription for pre-natal vitamins.

Meredith went to tell her no, but Izzie interfered. "We'll page if anything happens," she promised. Meredith sighed and followed Lexie up to the maternity ward.

"I'm going to call Kyle and Natalie now," Addison declared, struggling to stand up. Pete and Cooper helped her up.

"Do you need any help?" Naomi asked. Addison shook her head. She could do this on her own, despite what everyone thought.

Laura had already left to call the funeral home about the obituary. She had already written it.

Addison dialed Natalie's number first. Natalie was a teacher, and currently off for the summer.

"Natalie Greensman speaking," Natalie said. She usually didn't answer unfamiliar numbers, but something had compelled her to do so.

"Natalie, this is Addison. I'm Mark's wife," she announced, hoping her voice hadn't cracked.

"What do you want?" Natalie asked coldly. She wanted nothing to do with Mark or his wife.

"Mark was killed in a car accident last night. The funeral's on Tuesday and he's been buried on Wednesday," Addison said, just as coldly.

Natalie was shocked. "I'll call Kyle. We'll be there as soon as possible," she replied. She hung up the phone. She'd call Kyle, but Natalie wasn't going to show up in Seattle until Tuesday. She still hated Mark, and his death hadn't changed her. Her brother had probably caused the accident and been drunk.

She dialed Kyle's cell phone number. "What's up, little sis?" Kyle asked. He didn't know what the phone call would entail.

"Mark died in a car accident. The funeral's on Tuesday," Natalie informed him, trying to stop smiling.

"I'm leaving immediately," Kyle declared. He had been on the verge of calling Mark and reconciling with his brother.

"Why?" asked Natalie. She couldn't believe how unreasonable Kyle was acting.

"Because he's our brother," Kyle angrily replied. He hung up the phone and looked up the number of the airport.

"Can I turn on the TV?" Alex asked the group. He was worried about Derek, but really bored. Everyone nodded. Alex turned the TV on, but it was on the news.

A reporter named Dana Rowels was speaking. "Late last night, this highway was a scene of tragedy. A semi truck ran into the side of a car. The driver of the semi, determined to be drunk after an autopsy, was killed instantly. The driver of the other car, a doctor at Seattle Grace, was also killed. The car flipped several times. The passenger of the car, another doctor at Seattle Grace, is currently in critical condition. He is the only survivor. Stay tuned for more details," Dana reported. The group stared in horror as the TV showed the two cars. Mark's car had been totaled, and Derek was lucky to have survived. Alex quickly changed the channel.

"You're about eight weeks along," Lexie informed Meredith. She couldn't believe Meredith hadn't known before.

"I had no symptoms before. Can you believe Derek and I only started trying five weeks ago? I was also pregnant," Meredith said. She felt stupid for not knowing of her pregnancy earlier.

"You're at least ready since you were trying anyway," Lexie pointed out. She couldn't want to be an aunt again.

"Good point," Meredith conceded as Lexie printed out a picture of the ultrasound. She couldn't wait to pin the picture on the fridge. Meredith stood up and went to go change into normal clothes.

"I want to see my husband," Addison told Webber. She hadn't visited Mark in the morgue yet.

"Are you sure?" Webber asked. Seeing Mark wouldn't be healthy for Addison and the baby.

"I'm sure," Addison insisted. She needed to see the love of her life before the funeral.

"Do you want anyone to go with you?" Callie asked, immediately regretting it. She wasn't sure if she could see Mark. Addison shook her head and waddled to the morgue.

Addison gasped when she saw her husband. It hadn't really hit her until now that Mark was dead. He was so pale and cold. Mark also had several injuries. Addison had refused an autopsy, so the medical examiner had theorized the head injury had killed him.

"Hi, Baby. I can't comprehend why I'm here. I know why, but it's so surreal. We were so happy. You were excited about the baby. I decided to name her Evangeline. I know you wanted to name her that. I miss you already, Mark. You haven't even been dead for twenty-four hours. I know we talked about one of us dying, but I never expected it to happen. I know I promised you I'd move on, but it's going to take awhile. I'll try to be happy. Evangeline and I love you, Mark. I hope you're looking down on us in Heaven." Addison let out a sob and reluctantly let go of her husband's hand. She left the morgue and returned to the ICU.

"What are we going to do if Derek dies?" Kathleen asked Nancy. She really wasn't sure.

Nancy sighed. "We'll grieve and try to move on, Kath. It'll be hard, but we'll try. We can visit Meredith and the baby. Something of Derek's will be left in this world. But we can't think negatively." She was always in charge of comforting her four younger siblings.

"We can't lose him," Regina declared. Derek was going to survive, she knew it.

"We won't lose him," Josie corrected. Derek had the will to survive. He had already survived the car accident, flat lining twice, and the cardiac arrest.

"Derek Christopher Shepherd is a fighter," Nancy told her sisters. If they believed it, maybe Derek would survive.

"All of you are right," Laura assured her daughters. She believed all four of them.

"I'm eight weeks along," Meredith revealed, entering the room. Addison was right behind her.

"Didn't you start trying after that?" George asked. He was confused because of no sleep in the past day. Meredith nodded.

Bailey entered Derek's room, checking his vitals. She was pleased to see he was steadily improving. "I guess Meredith did help," she murmured before leaving.

"I'm hungry," Addison announced. Her friends gave her weird looks.

"I'll go to the cafeteria and get whatever you want," Sam promised. Cooper and Dell nodded, volunteering to go with him. Pete and Alex were talking to each other.

"Get me pizza and milk," Addison told the boys. The craving for pizza was driving her up the wall.

"Plain or pepperoni?" Cooper questioned. He missed Addison, and wished they had met up again for better circumstances.

"Pepperoni. Get me three slices," Addison demanded. She was really hungry, and Evangeline probably was too.

"What are Derek's injuries?" Meredith asked George. The doctor had never really learned the full extent of her husband's injuries, and now she was curious.

"Nobody told you?" asked a surprised Lexie. She thought somebody had. Meredith shook her head.

"He was bleeding internally. The two surgeries fixed it. We had to remove his spleen because that was one of the main causes of the internal bleeding. Derek had a minor concussion. He had blood loss from several cuts. He's bruised everywhere. Derek also bruised his kidney, but that will heal. He broke his left wrist, and that's going to be put in a cast when he's more stable," George explained. The man still didn't know how Derek had survived.

"He'll be fine," Meredith whispered to herself. Her husband was fighting already, and he would continue to fight. She began to cry again, the stress finally hitting her.

"He's doing great since the cardiac arrest," Erica informed her girlfriend. Derek was still improving.

"Thank you," Addison told the boys when they returned with her food. She practically attacked the pizza.

"Slow down," Cristina advised. She didn't want Addison to choke to death on pizza.

"I am eating slow," Addison defended in between bites. Cristina rolled her eyes, but let it go.

"I'm exhausted," Meredith confessed to Laura. Meredith hadn't been home in a long time, but she didn't want to leave Derek.

"Go sleep in the on-call room and we'll wake you if anything changes," Alex told her. Meredith and Addison were worrying him.

Meredith reluctantly agreed and went into the on-call room. She fell asleep immediately.

"She needed to sleep," Izzie told Lexie, who nodded in agreement.

"I want to go home," Addison said when she was done eating. Mark would want her to take care of herself, and Addison couldn't stay at the hospital anymore.

"I'll take you," Naomi said. She stood up, and helped Addison. They walked to Naomi's car. Naomi drove her home.

"This has been the longest day ever," Callie declared. The day had been dragging.

"Tuesday and Wednesday are going to be long days," George pointed out. Those two days were dreaded by everyone in the room.

"I'm going to cry a lot," Izzie confessed. She had liked Mark, and would miss him.

"We're all going to cry," Laura said. The matriarch of the Shepherd family was barely holding on now. The only thing keeping her going was Derek fighting and the news of a new grandchild.

"I miss Mark," Kathleen said. She choked back sobs rather successfully.

"We all miss Mark," replied Regina. Mark had been the sixth Shepherd sibling, and had been inseparable from Derek growing up.

"Can you stay with me?" Addison asked Naomi. The widowed doctor didn't want to be alone.

"Of course," Naomi said. The fertility specialist had planned on staying anyway. She wasn't about to leave Addison alone.

"I don't want to do, Nae," Addison sobbed. She couldn't be strong anymore.

"We're all going to help you," Naomi assured her, bursting into sobs. The two women began hugging again.

After they finished crying, Naomi led Addison over to the bed. It was only 5:00PM, but Addison needed sleep.

Naomi slipped into bed with her best friend after helping her into pajamas. She rubbed circles across Addison's back. Addison fell asleep a few minutes later.

Bailey entered the waiting room. "Where's Meredith?" she asked.

"Sleeping in the on-call room," Alex answered, hoping something bad hadn't occurred.

"Derek's improving even more and he should be waking up soon," Bailey announced, bringing smiles to everyone's faces.

"I'll go wake her up," Izzie said. She stood up and left the waiting room.

"Leave me alone," Meredith whined. Why was someone bothering her?

"Derek's going to wake up soon," Izzie told her, knowing that would wake Meredith up.

Meredith's eyes opened rather quickly. "Are you sure?" she asked. Izzie nodded.

Derek Shepherd was dreaming. He had been dreaming for hours about random, meaningless things, but not anymore. Now he was dreaming about Mark.

"I don't want you to be dead," Derek said to his best friend. He wanted to stay here, where Mark was alive.

"You don't have a choice in the matter, Der," Mark gently told him. Mark still had to see Addison, or maybe that was just Derek's interpretation of things.

"I need you," Derek confessed.

"You can live without me," Mark assured him. Derek would be fine.

"I've known you for forty-three years. How am I supposed to deal with your death?" Derek asked.

"You'll figure it out, Derek. I know you will," Mark said. Derek was hard to convince.

"What am I supposed to do?" Derek asked, tears in his eyes.

"Grieve and life your life," Mark replied.

"I don't want to grieve in the first place," Derek whined. Wait, why was he whining?

"I'm sorry," Mark apologized. He felt really guilty about leaving Derek, Addison, and Evangeline.

"Don't be sorry," Derek said, feeling guilty himself.

"Derek, you don't need to be guilty too," Mark told him.

"Are you real?" Derek asked in a small voice. Mark felt his heart break.

"No, Der. I want you to remember this though," Mark said. He knew Derek would remember this dream.

"I will," Derek vowed. He would never, ever forget Mark Sloan.

"Remember that I love you, brother. Tell Addison and Evangeline I love them," said Mark.

"Where are you going?" Derek frantically demanded. He didn't want Mark to go.

"I'm going somewhere great," Mark replied sadly. He didn't want to leave Derek either, but he had no choice.

"Please don't leave me," Derek begged, trying not to cry.

Mark smiled. "Derek, go and be a father to your son. Meredith will need you during her pregnancy, and so will Addison. Raise your son right."

Derek watched as Mark disappeared. His eyes snapped open for the first time in nearly twenty-four hours.

TBC

* * *

The next chapter should be up soon. I can't tell you when. This chapter took me three and a half hours to write, and it was only ten pages. Please review.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's Anatomy or Private Practice.

* * *

"Are you okay?" Bailey asked Derek. He had been awake for ten minutes before a nurse had found him. Derek had been in too much pain to hit the call button.

"I feel numb," Derek answered. He had been given some pain medication upon waking up. He really did feel numb about Mark's death, however.

"That's to be expected," Bailey told him. She was surprised Derek hadn't asked about Mark, but he probably knew of his best friend's death.

"How are you?" Meredith asked Derek. She turned to Bailey. "How is he?" she frantically demanded.

Derek somehow rolled his eyes at his overprotective wife, but it hurt. "He's fine," Bailey said. Meredith signed in relief.

"How's Addison?" Derek asked, worried about his ex-wife.

"Not well," Meredith said. Naomi had called after getting to the house, and revealed Addison had fallen asleep immediately after crying again.

"When can I go home?" Derek inquired. He didn't want to stay in the hospital anymore, and he had only been awake for an hour and a half.

"We'll talk about it later," Bailey answered. Derek was probably still tired. She should make him go to sleep.

"I want to go home today," Derek declared. He wanted out of this place.

"Absolutely not," Bailey cried. She couldn't believe that Derek wanted to go home. The man was a doctor. How stupid could he be?

"She's right," Meredith told her husband. She couldn't believe how irrational he was acting.

"I'm fine," Derek insisted. He felt no pain so he should be able to leave.

"You need a cast for your wrist, Derek. Not to mention the fact that you had two surgeries, flat lined twice, and went into cardiac arrest," Meredith told him. What was he thinking?

Derek sighed in frustration. He was fine. Why didn't anyone believe him?

"We'll send someone up to get your wrist in a cast," Lexie informed her brother-in-law, having just entered the room.

"Yay," Derek cried sarcastically. He hoped to leave soon. He was _fine_. Meredith glared at Derek, but was so happy she let it go. She still hadn't told her husband of her pregnancy.

"It's a miracle you even survived," George told Derek, wondering if that would scare him into staying.

"Mark died, so it's not a miracle," Derek unhappily informed him. Why was everyone so happy? They should be sad.

"You died twice and still survived, so it's a miracle," Lexie declared. Derek was acting really weird and irrational. She wondered if it was the medication currently in his system or Mark's death.

"Can everyone leave?" Derek asked. He wanted to be alone.

"Your mom and sisters want to see you," a now worried Meredith replied. Derek was scaring her.

"I'll see them in the morning," said Derek. Couldn't people just stop bothering him?

"They're worried about you," Bailey said. She knew that Mark's death hadn't fully hit Derek yet, but he was still grieving.

"Just get out," Derek yelled, immediately regretting it. The headache from the concussion was still affecting him, despite the meds he was on.

"Don't yell. We're only to help," Bailey scolded. There was no excuse for Derek. His injuries and grief were _not _an excuse if Derek tried to claim they were affecting him.

"Sorry," Derek muttered. He didn't know why he was so angry.

"It's okay," Meredith assured him. She would tell her husband that she was pregnant after he was home from the hospital and everything died down.

Lexie, Bailey, and Meredith left Derek's room and returned to the waiting room. Everyone else, minus Addison and Naomi, were waiting for them.

"How is he?" Callie asked. She had been surprised upon learning Derek had woken up.

"He's acting really weird," Meredith told them.

"Did you tell him about the baby?" Izzie asked. She had been trying to find something good about this weekend.

Meredith shook her head. "I'm waiting until we're home and everything's back to normal. None of you tell him either," she warned.

"Can we go see him?" Laura asked. She was anxious to see her son.

"He can't have any more visitors until the morning," Bailey lied before Meredith and Lexie said anything. Everyone looked disappointed.

"Do you know of anywhere we can stay?" Kathleen asked. She knew that Derek didn't have enough room at the trailer and Meredith's house was full. Meredith and Derek's house wouldn't be finished for three more months.

"Addison and Mark's house has ten bedrooms and only two are being used," Callie said. The Sloan house was huge.

"And we're already staying there," Violet pointed out. Not everyone could stay at Addison's place.

"Naomi and Sam are in one room, Dell's in another, Pete's another room, and Violet and I are in one room. There's still four bedrooms left," Cooper replied.

"Addison will need help," Laura conceded. The widow probably didn't need to be left alone.

"Call Addison and ask her," Erica suggested. That would be the logical thing to do.

"Addison was sleeping when Naomi called," Violet pointed out. They couldn't just descend on the poor woman without warning.

"Then call Naomi," Pete replied. Naomi had taken charge of Addison.

"There's still five of us," Regina said. There were just too many people.

"You can stay with me and Alex. There's two bedrooms," Izzie told them. People shouldn't be fighting over where to stay.

"Mom and I will stay with us," Nancy finally decided. There would still be extra bedrooms at Addison's then.

"That leaves two open bedrooms at Addison's," Alex said. Why was everyone fighting about this?

"Wouldn't a hotel be better?" Dell asked. Addison's house would still have bedrooms left.

"Addison needs us," Violet gently told him. Leaving Addison by herself would not go well.

Laura sighed. "We need to figure out who's going where first. Somebody definitely needs to be with Addison. What rooms are currently occupied?"

"The master bedroom and the nursery-the room next door," Meredith answered. An excited Mark had shown Derek the nursery several times.

"That leaves eight bedrooms at Addison's, two at Alex and Izzie's, and eleven people," Lexie concluded. They should just share.

"We'll make a room chart," Molly declared. There was an easy solution to the situation.

Alone in his room, Derek had nothing to do but think. Fuzzy thinking from the medication, but thinking nonetheless.

""I miss you," Derek whispered, hoping Mark had heard it. He wondered when Meredith was going to tell him she was pregnant. Mark had told him he was going to have a son. Maybe Meredith didn't know she was pregnant yet. That was a possibility. He could suggest she take a pregnancy test. As Derek's eyes slid closed, he thought of a blonde haired, blue eyed little boy playing with his mother.

"At least everything's sorted out," Pete said a few minutes later. Violet nodded.

"Laura and Kathleen will be at Addison's. Laura will have the third bedroom. Kathleen will take the fifth. Naomi and Sam are in the fifth. Cooper and Violet will be in the sixth room. Regina has the seventh room. Josie is in the eighth. Dell has the ninth room. Pete will occupy the last room. Nancy will stay at Alex and Izzie's. That still leaves one open room if somebody needs a place to stay," Molly explained. She had figured everything out rather quickly.

"I really don't want to be alone at the trailer," Meredith confessed. Staying by herself in the trailer scared her.

"You can stay with us," Alex volunteered. He didn't mind her coming to live at her old house temporarily.

"Thanks," Meredith told him. She still had to get a few essentials back at the trailer, but there weren't that many.

Everyone left Seattle Grace about fifteen minutes later. It had been a long two days.

The next morning, the doctors returned to work, including Meredith.

"How are you feeling?" Kathleen asked her brother. She had immediately known Derek was angry, one of the five stages of grief. He had apparently skipped denial.

"I'm fine," Derek angrily informed her. He wished his friends would stop bothering him.

"You won't even talk about the accident," a red eyed Addison pointed out. She had decided to visit her ex-husband after learning Derek was awake.

"I don't remember it," Derek lied. He didn't want to relive the sound of breaking glass and screaming.

"Are you sure?" Meredith questioned. Something seemed… off about Derek not remembering.

"I'm sure," Derek cried. He wasn't about to tell them of Mark's final moments alive. It hurt too much to think about.

"How are you physically feeling?" Webber asked him. He had been worried about the man he considered a friend.

"Everything is a dull pain," Derek told him. His pain medication had been dulled back a little.

"That's good," Meredith said. At least he was able to feel something now, unlike last night.

"What are you planning on doing after you're discharged?" Erica asked. She wondered how Derek would feel about Mark's death after he was home.

"Going to Mark's funeral," Derek replied as it was the most obvious idea in the world.

"You're not going to be discharged for another week, maybe two," Josie reminded her older brother. Derek knew that, but he was probably still loopy from the drugs.

"I want to go," Derek insisted, not caring what they told him.

"Absolutely not," a horrified Bailey said. She had told him this yesterday, but it apparently hadn't sunk in. Derek really was irrational.

"I'll be fine," Derek tried. He would take it easy once he got home.

"Dr. Bailey, Dr. Hahn, Dr. Grey, and Dr. O'Malley, can I see you for a minute?" Richard asked. Erica, Bailey, Lexie, and George followed him out of the room.

"You need to stay here to get better," Meredith told Derek. She knew that Mark's funeral would only make him worse.

"I'll feel better when I'm home," Derek whined. Maybe whining would get him somewhere.

"Stop whining," Laura scolded. Her son was too old to whine.

Bailey, Lexie, George, and Erica returned with Webber.

"You're lucky," Lexie said. At leas there was a compromise.

"How?" asked Derek. He didn't feel lucky at all.

Webber stepped up. "You can attend only one of the viewings. Afterwards, you will return here. You will stay in a wheelchair. You can attend the church service and burial, but you will come back. Derek, you will remain here until you're discharged. You will do whatever we say. Am I clear?" Richard asked. Derek nodded.

"Will he be okay to do those things?" asked a worried Meredith. Derek probably wouldn't want to listen.

"As long as he takes it easy and doesn't overdo on anything," Bailey cautioned. She didn't want Derek to be back in her operating room.

"Dr. Shepherd, it's time to give you a cast for your wrist," said an intern. Dr. Shepherd scared him.

"I'll do it," Callie volunteered. She didn't want an intern messing up Derek's cast.

A few hours later, everyone went back to Addison's house. There were several messages on the machine.

"Addison, this is your mother. Your father and I will be flying in Monday night. I'll see you then." The message ended, signaling that Marie Forbes-Montgomery was done talking. Marie wasn't really the comforting type. As a young woman, Marie Forbes had been traumatized after witnessing her father kill her mother. She had never been the same again, according to childhood best friend and husband Greg Montgomery.

A new message had started. "Addie, why didn't you call us earlier? Weiss and I are flying in at 4:30AM on Monday morning. I am so sorry, Addison," Savvy sobbed before the message ended.

"I forgot to call them. I wasn't thinking straight," a tearful Addison said.

"It's okay," Naomi assured her. She was glad that Sam had thought to call them earlier this morning.

"Derek will want to see them. Maybe Savvy and Weiss will cheer him up," Meredith said.

"Where are they going to sleep?" Addison muttered. She didn't want them in a hotel.

"I'll share a room with Nance. We always liked to," Kathleen volunteered. She didn't mind going to Alex and Izzie's.

"That's stupid. I'll just go back to the trailer," Meredith told them.

"You're terrified to be alone," Alex pointed out. It was soon decided Meredith and Nancy would share a room, and Savvy and Weiss would get Alex and Izzie's third room.

"Evangeline, you're such a good girl," Addison whispered to her kicking unborn daughter.

The doorbell rang, and everyone stared at each other in confusion. They were all there.

"I'll get it," Regina said. She got up and opened the door.

"Hi, Gina," said Kyle. Regina nearly slammed the door in his face.

"What are you doing here?" she asked angrily. How dare Kyle Sloan show up after his brother's death after not talking to Mark for twenty-nine years.

"I came to bury my brother," Kyle said. Regina Shepherd hadn't changed at all.

"You're welcome," Regina coldly informed him. Then she did really did slam the door in his face.

"Who was that?" Pete asked. He had heard talking.

"A waste of space named Kyle Sloan," Regina answered. Addison and the Shepherds gave her a shocked look.

"What'd you do?" Laura asked. She hoped Regina had been mean.

"I slammed the door in his face," Regina happily informed them. Her mother and sisters cheered.

"I didn't know Mark had a brother," a confused Meredith said when the cheers died down. Kyle seemed like a bad person. Kathleen had just told her Kyle and Mark's relation to one another.

"And a sister too. Mark was only a teenager when Kyle and Natalie decided he was beneath them and wasn't worth it. They stopped talking to Mark," Laura explained. She hoped Natalie hadn't followed Kyle.

"I don't like them," Meredith decided. She liked Mark, and couldn't imagine anyone hating him.

"No one does," Josie whispered. It really was true. Kyle and Natalie Sloan were just like their parents.

Derek was lonely. He missed Mark, and his wife, friends, and family had left. Now he was alone with his thoughts.

"What are you thinking about?" Lexie asked. She had to work late.

"Nothing," Derek lied. He was determined to be strong about Mark's death. He would not angry. Actually, Derek was just really angry.

"Why haven't you cried yet?" Lexie wondered. No one else had noticed, but Lexie had.

"I have to be strong for everyone," Derek confessed when Lexie left. He didn't want to burden anyone, especially his pregnant wife. Meredith hadn't said anything about being pregnant though, so maybe Derek had hallucinated seeing Mark. It was a possibility.

Derek fell asleep thinking of his best friend.

"I thought I said you needed to grieve," Mark said. Derek hadn't listened to him at all.

"You said Meredith's pregnant, but she didn't say anything," Derek pointed out. She would tell him if she was pregnant.

"She's waiting until everything dies down," Mark answered.

"I think you're a hallucination," Derek shot back. What would Mark say to that?

"I'm not, but it's important that you grieve," Mark sadly replied. Derek was worrying him.

"Yes, you are," Derek insisted. Why was Mark lying to him?

Mark sighed. "I wasn't last time, and you know it, Der. Your mind is making me up now as a way to deal with your grief. You need to grieve in a healthy way," he explained.

Derek looked at him suspiciously, and then the scene changed. He and Mark were back in the car, and the semi was heading towards them again.

Derek woke up in a panic. A nurse entered the room.

"Calm down, Dr. Shepherd," she comforted as Derek's heart rate went up. He was having a panic attack.

"I can't," Derek choked out. He couldn't stop remembering the car accident.

"Breathe in and out slowly," the nurse advised. Derek fortunately listened and calmed down. It took him a long time to fall back asleep.

Meredith returned to her old house with Alex and Izzie around midnight. Alex left a few hours later to pick up Savvy and Weiss from the airport.

Addison lay in bed, not sleeping. Evangeline was kicking her and she missed her husband. Mark had been the love of her life, and she wasn't sure how to move on.

"I love you, Mark," Addison whispered. She knew that Mark had loved her too.

Derek woke up at 6:00AM, after having another nightmare about the accident.

"The nurse told me you had a nightmare," Meredith said after checking Derek's chart.

"It wasn't that bad," Derek lied. He didn't want unnecessary comfort piled on him. Addison needed comforted. He was fine. Really.

"You had a panic attack," Meredith shot back. Derek was really worrying her.

"I'm fine," Derek insisted. If he said it enough times, maybe he would believe it.

Meredith sighed, but let it go. Derek would break eventually, and she'd be there for him when he did.

"I'm pregnant," she announced. Maybe that would help Derek.

Derek smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I'm happy, Mer. That's great news. Our son will be loved."

Meredith smiled. "Why do you think I'm having a boy?" she asked.

"Intuition," Derek answered. He didn't want to tell Meredith about his Mark dream.

"Get some rest," Meredith advised. She left the room just as Savvy and Weiss entered.

She knocked on Dr. Wyatt's door. "Come in," Dr. Wyatt called. Meredith went in.

"I need to talk to you," Meredith confessed. She sat down on the couch.

"I figured," Dr. Wyatt replied. She had been expecting Meredith since hearing the news of the accident.

"Derek's acting weird and I don't know what to do," Meredith finally said. It had been a few minutes.

Dr. Wyatt sighed. "He's irrational right now because of the grief, Meredith. All you need to do is support him. Be there for him when he falls apart."

Meredith looked up. "I can do that."

"I think I want to move back to California," Addison told Violet. Violet stopped washing the dishes.

"You're not thinking straight right now, Addiosn. You can't just pick up and move. Think of the baby. Six months from now, think about moving again," Violet told her. Addison nodded and resolved to think about moving later.

"You look like crap," Weiss said to Derek. Savvy glared at her husband.

"Thanks," Derek replied. He felt like crap, so it was nice to know he looked like it too.

"How are you dealing?" Savvy asked. She had been wondering how Derek had been handing Mark's death. Mark and Derek had practically been inseparable in medical school.

"I'm fine," he repeated. Why were his friends asking him that? He was okay.

"I don't want you to die," Izzie told Alex. They were in the on-call room, taking a break from the busy day.

"I can't promise that, Iz. But I can promise to be here for you as long as I can," Alex comforted.

Izzie smiled at him. "I love you, Alex."

Alex smiled back. "Will you marry me?" he asked.

Izzie began crying, but nodded. Alex slipped an engagement ring on her finger. "I love you," Izzie cried again.

"I love you too, Iz," Alex replied.

"Tomorrow's going to be horrible," Sam whispered to Naomi. She nodded in agreement.

As the day wore by slowly and turned into night, Mark's friends dreaded the next two days.

TBC

* * *

The next update will be Sunday or Monday. Look for it. This chapter (ten pages and a little section of an eleventh) took me several hours last night. I had just finished a three day X-Files marathon that's going to continue today.

Derek's really irrational right now because of his grief. His best friend/brother of forty-three years just died. We're really going to start getting into the angst next chapters and all the chapters after that.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, Journey, or their song Don't Stop Believing.

* * *

"Be careful," Meredith warned as Alex helped Derek into the wheelchair he would use for the funeral and burial.

"Addison is having a meltdown," Nancy said, coming out of Addison's room. Naomi, Kathleen, and Violet went into the bathroom.

"What's wrong?" Naomi asked Addison, who was sobbing harshly.

"I can't find what I want to wear," Addison sobbed, staring at dresses and shoes.

"Did you have it picked out last night?" Kathleen asked, trying to calm down the pregnant woman.

Addison nodded. "I can't remember what outfit I picked out," she cried. Why she couldn't she remember?

"I remember," Savvy called, entering the room. The girls breathed a sigh of relief, but Addison continued to cry.

Savvy picked out the outfit and handed it to Addison.

"Thanks," Addison told her, her sobs dying down. They would return in awhile.

"Be strong," Derek whispered to himself as Meredith wheeled him up to the car. Alex and George helped Derek into the car. The two exchanged a look, just knowing that when Derek finally broke, it was going to bad.

"I'll meet you at the funeral home," Alex told Meredith. He had to pick up Izzie up at the house before they went to the funeral home.

"See you there," Meredith replied. She got into the car and began driving.

George and Weiss helped Derek out of the car and into the wheelchair as Meredith entered the funeral home's parking lot.

"How's Addison?" Meredith asked Laura. Laura's grimace gave Meredith her answer.

"I can walk," Addison angrily informed Pete as he tried to help her out of the car.

"You waddle," Izzie pointed out. Addison glared at her, but Izzie ignored it. Meredith smiled when she saw diamond engagement ring on Izzie's finger. No one else noticed the ring.

"Congratulations," Meredith whispered to Alex and Izzie. She was happy for them. At least there was some happiness in the midst of tragedy.

"We're going to Vegas after Mark's burial," Izzie whispered back. That was what George and Callie had done, but their relationship had been doomed to fail. She and Alex had decided life was too short to wait. They were going to start trying for a baby immediately.

"Stop whispering," Addison whispered. Nothing was going to ruin Mark's funeral, and that was just a weird thought.

"McSatan's back," Cristina whispered to Meredith. Meredith glared at her.

"Are we going in?" Addison snapped. She had no idea why everyone was just standing around.

"Of course," Josie told her. The group entered the funeral home.

"I'm sitting down," Addison said. Her ankles were so swollen, and her feet hurt. She didn't know how she was going to get through today and tomorrow.

"Try to stay off your feet," Nancy cautioned. Addison was stressed out enough as it was.

"Do you want to go see Mark?" Meredith asked her husband. Derek reluctantly nodded. He didn't want to see his best friend dead, but there was no choice. Besides, he had already watched Mark die right in front of him.

"Hey, Mark," Derek said. He felt sobs building up, but pushed them down. Now was not the time to cry. He had to be strong.

"Talk to him," Regina encouraged. She could see her brother was trying to fall apart and that it was barely working.

Derek stifled a sob. "I'll take care of Addison and your baby, Mark. I miss you." He pushed his sobs back down again, and actually succeeded. He wheeled back to where Meredith had chosen to sit.

"Mark, we'll help take care of Evangeline," Alex promised. A few tears slipped from his eyes and he returned to his chair.

"I'll miss you," Izzie said. She went to go sit down next to her fiancée.

"You were Derek's best friend and brother, and I will always love you for that," Meredith whispered. She stared to cry, and wished for a brief second that her pregnancy hormones hadn't kicked in yet.

"Go sit," Laura advised. Meredith and Addison were already hormonal enough, and things would only get worse if the girls were stressed.

"This sucks," a tearful Savvy whispered to Weiss. Weiss nodded and led his wife away.

"I'm going to see my husband," Addison stiffly informed Nancy. Her eyes were glazed over. Nancy helped Addison up.

"You don't have to do this now," Nancy told her, even though she knew it was futile.

"I can't do this," Addison wailed when she got up to the casket. Her knees buckled, and Nancy caught her. Nancy helped Addison back to her chair.

Erica and Callie went up to the coffin after a crying Addison sat down.

"Sloan, you may have continually hit on me and slept with Cal before your marriage, but you were still a good man. I'll miss you," Erica said. She sniffled.

"I'll always thank you for leading me to Erica. You helped me realize that I love her. I'm just glad that you didn't suffer," a crying Callie whispered. She and Erica went over to where Derek and Meredith were.

"I didn't know you that well, but you were Derek's best friend and that means a lot," Lexie told Mark. She sat down next to George.

When Kyle and Natalie entered the funeral home ten minutes later, an angry Regina went to go confront them.

"We're here to say goodbye," Kyle tried. He wanted to see his brother one last time.

"If you don't leave, I will call the police," Regina coldly informed the two. She couldn't believe Kyle and Natalie. The Shepherds had taken care of Mark and had loved him more than his own family.

"We can stay if we want to," Natalie told Regina. What was wrong with the Shepherds? They had never understood what a burden Mark was.

"I will have you thrown out of here," Regina threatened again. Kyle and Natalie were making her really angry.

Derek wheeled up next to Kyle, Natalie, and Regina. He would get Kyle and Natalie to leave. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

"We came to say goodbye to our brother. Derek, I am so sorry Mark did this to you," Natalie replied.

Derek felt extremely angry. "You have no right to say goodbye to Mark. You two were always selfish, especially Natalie. And for your information, a drunk driver hit us. I suggest you two go," he answered.

"We'll leave," Kyle sullenly decided. He had lost his chance to make things right with Mark. Kyle grabbed Natalie and walked out the door.

Regina sighed and turned to Derek. "Thanks, bro."

"You're welcome," Derek replied. He returned to Meredith's side.

"I have a headache," Addison muttered to Nancy. She just wanted it to be Wednesday.

"It's from the stress, Addison. You need to calm down," Nancy advised. She was going to call Addison's OB/GYN and have a talk with her.

"I can't," Addison hissed. She just wanted to cry all day. Evangeline was the only thing keeping her alive right now. If she wasn't pregnant and didn't have a daughter to take care of in a few months, Addison knew she would have followed Mark. Evangeline had unintentionally saved her, and Addison was somewhat grateful for that.

"I had migraines for weeks after Chris died," Laura confessed. Addison stared at her in shock.

"You'll get over it," Marie told her daughter. She didn't want Addison to worry or grieve for her husband for forever.

"No I won't," Addison insisted. It felt like her soul was even hurting. She just wanted to climb into bed and never get out.

"You'll move on eventually and love again," Laura told her. She knew Addison would eventually pick herself up and move on. That's what she had done after Chris' death.

"You never remarried," Addison pointed out. Laura had dated, but never wanted to marry anyone else.

"I'm moving in with Dave and we're going to marry soon," Laura informed her. Laura had been dating Dave Harpun for two years and knew he was the right man for her.

"It's been over thirty years since Dad died," Josie whispered to Kathleen.

"She was waiting for the right guy," Kathleen whispered back. She understood her mother's reasoning for not marrying again until she found the right man.

Derek yawned. "I'm tired," he whined to Meredith. She smiled at him, sympathizing with his situation.

"We can go back to the hospital soon, Derek." Meredith grabbed her husband's good hand and squeezed it. He squeezed back.

"I'm going to bake Addison muffins," Izzie told Alex. She was worried about the widow, and wanted to give her some food.

"She'll appreciate that," Alex assured his fiancée. At least baking helped Izzie cope.

"I love you," Izzie replied. Alex smiled and kissed her.

"You're beautiful," he whispered when they pulled apart.

"What's with the multiple compliments?" Izzie asked. She loved all the attention Alex was giving her.

"I just can't wait for you to become my wife," Alex confessed. He loved Isobel Stevens so much.

"What time is it?" Richard asked Adele, who shrugged.

Addison stood up and walked over to Meredith and Derek. "Can you do a eulogy for Mark?" she asked him.

Derek stared at his ex-wife. "Of course, Addison."

"Thanks," Addison said. She returned to Mark's coffin.

"I'm worried about her," Laura told Nancy. Addison was scaring her.

"I don't know what I'm going to say," Derek confessed. Writing a eulogy was going to be hard, especially since he was writing about Mark.

"Write from the heart," Meredith advised. Cristina successfully stifled a laugh.

"Thanks," Derek replied. He _could _write from the heart.

People streamed in and out of the funeral home for two hours. Afterwards, most people went to Joe's for the mean in between viewings. Derek went back to the hospital.

"I wish I could get drunk," a tearful and red-eyed Addison confessed to Cristina.

"Get really drunk a few months after the baby's born," Cristina told her. That seemed like helpful advice.

"Derek's going to fall apart soon," Meredith said to Lexie. Bailey heard her, however.

"Just be there for him," Bailey advised, sitting down.

"I love funeral food," Izzie guilty told Alex.

Alex smiled. "Funeral food _is _great," he agreed.

"I can't wait to return to New York," Laura said to Josie.

"We just need to escape from everything," Josie replied. She knew that New York held memories of Mark too. Mark had even broken his arm in their backyard.

"We aren't going to, though," Nancy said. She was starting to feel lonely, which was really weird.

"I'm going to put on some music," Alex declared. He got up and went over to the jukebox.

"Happy music," Izzie called, finishing the last of her pop and chicken.

"I know," Alex called back. A few minutes later, **Don't Stop Believing **began playing. Izzie laughed. Her boyfriend loved Journey.

"I don't know what to write," Derek whined to Savvy, who had foregone going to Joe's.

"Just think it over," she said. Savvy stayed with Derek for a few more minutes, and then left the hospital.

"I'm not sure how to do this," Derek whispered to the ceiling, hoping Mark had heard him.

He fell asleep a few minutes later, the exhaustion finally wearing him out.

Suddenly, Derek was back in the car and it was flipping. He began screaming.

Derek's screams penetrated the real world, and he woke up that way.

A nurse had to calm him down, so she sedated Derek. That was a bad thing to do because Derek was trapped in his nightmares, constantly reliving the accident.

Addison, Meredith, Izzie, and the Shepherds returned to the funeral home shortly afterwards. Everyone else had to go to work.

"I want Mark to be alive," a hoarse Addison told Regina.

"We'll all do, but you can't change history," Regina gently told her.

"Where was God when I needed him to save my husband?" Addison asked. She didn't expect an answer.

"This is the longest day I've ever experienced," Kathleen complained. Everyone except Addison nodded.

More people trickled in and out of the funeral home.

Derek woke up about ten minutes before the second viewing ended. He felt miserable and depressed.

Luckily, his being miserable and depressed compelled Derek to write the eulogy. He began writing furiously, trying to choke back the sobs that were once again building up. He succeeded in stopping the sobs.

"Thanks for coming," Addison told Meredith. Meredith hugged her and then went to the car.

"I'm so tried," Nancy told Laura when they got back to the house.

"It's been a long day," Laura conceded. She sat down on the couch.

"Tomorrow's going to be bad," Nancy murmured. She didn't even want to know how Derek was going to react with Mark's eulogy.

"Wednesday can't come fast enough," Laura agreed. She knew she was going to fall apart tomorrow.

Derek flexed his fingers after completing the eulogy. He had poured his heart into writing it and still somehow had managed not to cry.

As he settled in a sleep that would be riddled with nightmares, Derek's last thoughts were of his unborn son and Mark.

Addison lay in bed next to Naomi. Naomi had decided she shouldn't be alone, so Addison wasn't. She unsuccessfully tried to stop from crying. Naomi began crying with her, but comforted Addison anyway. She fell asleep long after Addison cried herself to sleep.

Addison woke up at 5:30 in the morning and couldn't get back to sleep. The pregnant woman began cleaning the entire house.

"What are you doing?" a confused Nancy asked. Addison just kept scrubbing the kitchen counter.

"She's coping the only way she knows how," Laura explained. Cleaning the house couldn't be good for Addison or Evangeline.

"Are you ready?" Meredith questioned her husband a few hours later. Derek nodded, even though he was dreading today.

"I need to clean," Addison insisted after Laura forced her to shower. Kathleen and Violet were discussing Addison and knew that things were not alright with her. They were coming up with a plan to help her.

"You can clean later," Laura lied. She was going to force Addison to watch TV or stay in bed after the burial.

Meredith pushed her husband inside the church. Alex, George, and Webber were already there. They and a few others were Mark's pallbearers.

"I would have done it if I could have," Derek muttered when he and Meredith passed the pallbearers.

"I know you would have," Meredith soothed. She sat down in one of the pews.

The priest talked for a little while about how Mark was a great husband and how he was excited to become a father.

Meredith wheeled Derek up to the front of the church so he could read the eulogy. "Good luck," she whispered, hoping this would be the catalyst for Derek to break down.

Derek took a deep breath and prepared to read the eulogy. "Mark Sloan was my best friend and brother. I loved him through the good and bad. The first time I ever met was in the hospital. We were two days apart, and our mothers quickly became friends. Mark and I were practically inseparable. We…we played together in our yards. We couldn't go anywhere together without being referred to as DerekandMark or MarkandDerek. Mark had a hard life, but we made it better for him. I was there when he broke his arm and he was there for me when I broke my leg. We were… we were always there for each other. Even though we had some hard times awhile ago, I for… forgave him. We moved on. He was the best man at my wedding, and I was the best man at his. He couldn't wait to be a daddy. Mark was so excited. I'll miss him." Derek took another deep breath, glad that he hadn't cried, and returned to Meredith's side.

Meredith was disappointed. She hoped that the eulogy would force Derek to break down.

As Mark's (and Derek's) favorite song began playing, the pallbearers left the church with the coffin. Everyone else followed them out.

The funeral procession drove to the cemetery where Mark was going to be buried.

"Are you going to be okay?" Meredith asked Derek. She hoped that he wasn't okay, and would fall apart now.

Derek nodded. "I'll be fine," he lied. He could deal with this. Derek had to be strong. He would fall apart later, if he ever did.

Meredith shook her head, but decided to let it go. Derek would break on his own time, and she would be there for him.

"I want to go home," a crying Addison told Laura. Laura hugged her former daughter-in-law, while Nancy rubbed circles across her back.

"You can go home soon," Kathleen assured her. The Shepherds were crowding around Addison and Derek. They were grieving the most out of anyone there.

As the priest talked, Derek struggled to keep strong. His resolve to not fall apart was weakening by the moment, but he needed this.

Meredith, Izzie, Alex, the Shepherds, Savvy, Weiss, Addison, Lexie, Bailey, and even Cristina cried as the priest continued talking. Derek never cried though. He just didn't have the energy for it.

The procession made their way back to the church for the post-burial meal. Derek returned to the hospital.

"How are you doing?" Bailey asked Derek. She had to return to work.

"Fine," Derek lied. Now that Mark's funeral was over, he could start to move on. Really.

"You are not fine, Derek Christopher Shepherd. Stop lying to me and Meredith. Derek, you can cry," Bailey told him.

"I'm fine," Derek lied again. Bailey would not get him to cry. He had to stay strong.

"Derek, you're not fine. You need to cry," Bailey pressed. Meredith had asked her to see if she could get Derek to fall apart, and Bailey wanted to help. Derek was bottling his emotions up, and that was not healthy.

"Leave me alone," Derek told her. Why wouldn't she just leave? He was handling Mark's death on his own, thank you very much.

"I will not," Bailey told him. She was not going to leave a depressed patient and friend alone just because he asked.

"Why are you doing this?" Derek asked. He had been so well, and now Miranda Bailey was going to ruin it.

"Because I care about you," Bailey told him. Meredith was at the church, eating, and would be thankful that Bailey had convinced her husband to cry.

"I'm fine," Derek insisted, although he felt tears coming to his eyes. Bailey leaned forward and hugged him. The hug finally broke Derek, and he burst into sobs. As Bailey rocked him back and forth, the crying man thought about Mark and everything they had been through.

Derek's cries echoed throughout the room. He was finally beginning to grieve.

TBC

* * *

Sorry I didn't get this up sooner. I was experiencing a little bit of writer's block. The next chapter will be up soon.

I have a quick question. Mark's death scene, should it be M or should I lower the rating to T? I wasn't sure in the beginning, so I was safe in that aspect.

Aren't you glad Derek finally broke down? It only took four chapters to do so. I was thinking about waiting, but decided that he needed to fall apart.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, or anything associated with the shows.

Two hours later, Meredith entered her husband's room. Derek was still crying. Bailey had left to see her patients.

"I miss Mark," a sobbing Derek told Meredith. She felt her heart breaking.

"I know you do, Derek. I know it hurts, but you're going to get through this," Meredith said. She was worried about her husband.

Addison just wanted to scream after burying Mark. She was angry and sad at the same time. She guessed she was going through a few of the five stages of grief.

"It's okay to feel angry," Laura assured Addison after the widow had voiced her worries about being angry. Laura had been boiling in anger after finally grieving Chris' death.

"But I don't want to be angry," Addison cried. She just wanted to cry about Mark and look forward to Evangeline's birth.

"Ad, you're dealing with several emotions at once and that's okay," Kathleen explained. The next few months would probably be hard for Addison as she started to move on.

"I'm going to take a nap," Addison announced. She walked to her bedroom.

"I almost don't want to go back to California," Naomi told Sam and Violet.

"She needs to deal with her grief in her own way," Violet said. She loved Addison, but it was time to go home.

"I love you," Alex whispered to Izzie. After the burial and everything else, they had gotten in the car to go to Vegas.

Izzie smiled at him. "I love you too," she said. Izzie couldn't imagine life without Alex Karev. She couldn't wait to have a family with him.

"I'm going to love you forever," Alex told her. He couldn't wait to marry Izzie. After the breakdown over his mother and Rebecca, Alex had confessed the truth about his past to Izzie. Izzie had then understood why he acted the way he did.

Izzie sighed happily. "Save it for the vows," she said. It was going to take awhile to get to Vegas. The trip was seventeen hours.

"I want to go home," the sobbing Derek choked out to his wife.

Meredith stifled her own sobs. The pregnancy and Derek's grief were affecting her horribly. "You can't go home yet," Meredith said, her voice cracking.

"Meredith, let me go home. Please," Derek pleaded. He didn't want to be stuck in the hospital.

Meredith shook her head. "You need to stay here and get better," she told him. She wanted everything to get back to normal, but that was impossible. It would take Derek, Addison, and the Shepherds a long time to move on from Mark's death.

"Please don't die," Derek begged. He didn't want his wife to die at all. He wouldn't be able to handle it.

At that, Meredith finally let out a sob. "I can't promise that," she cried. She didn't _want _to die and leave Derek alone, but that was a possibility eventually.

"I love you," Derek sobbed. Meredith held his hand to calm him down, but it didn't work. Derek cried himself about ten minutes later.

"Everything will work itself out eventually," Meredith promised. She was going to make an appointment with Dr. Wyatt for Derek. It was obvious he needed one.

Addison's sleep was a restless one. She kept dreaming about Mark and the life they could have had together.

"_What do you say we adopt and give Evangeline a sibling?" Mark asked Addison as the four year old continued to play in her sandbox._

_Tears came to Addison's eyes. "I'd love to," she told her husband. She didn't want Evangeline to be an only child and giving someone a home was important._

The scene suddenly changed. _"Come meet your new brother," Mark called. Five year old Evangeline came tearing out of the kitchen with Meredith and Derek following her._

"_What's his name?" the amazed Evangeline asked as the newborn in Addison's arms began to cry._

_Mark smiled. "His name is Christopher Derek Sloan," he explained. Christopher had been named after Derek._

"_He's beautiful," Derek informed the happy couple._

The scene changed again, and it was noticeable that everything had changed.

"_I can't believe our daughter's graduating high school," Addison wailed to her husband. Mark and Christopher laughed at her. Addison had been emotional about the graduation for weeks._

"_Addison, it's a good thing that she's growing up," Mark assured his wife. He loved her so much._

_  
When Evangeline's name was called so she could accept her diploma, Addison cried again._

And then everything changed again.

"_I don't want my daughter to change," Mark whined to his wife. Evangeline was going to marry Lucas Karev the next day and Mark was having a hard time letting go._

"_She's not going to change," an exasperated Addison told her husband. Evangeline and Lucas were really happy._

"_This is hard," Mark confessed. He would miss the little girl he used to read to at night._

_He still walked Evangeline down the aisle the next day as she became Evangeline Sloan-Karev._

Time shifted, and it was a few years later.

_Addison, Mark, Christopher, Izzie, Alex, Gillian Karev, Lily Karev, and Nora Karev were in a hospital waiting room._

_Lucas came in. "It's a boy," he happily announced. Evangeline had been in labor for nineteen hours._

"_What's his name?" asked an eager Mark. He wanted to meet his first grandchild._

"_Come see him," Lucas encouraged. He knew Mark would love the little boy._

_An exhausted Evangeline smiled at them. "Meet Charles Mark Sloan-Karev," she said. Charles chose that moment to let out a small cry._

"_He is one of the most handsome little boys I've ever seen," Mark declared. Christopher looked a little offended._

Time shifted once again.

"_I'm so happy you guys made it to fifty years of marriage," Evangeline said, toasting her parents. They were older now and somewhat sick, but really happy._

Addison woke up to a dark bedroom. She began to sob for the life she would never have with Mark.

Like Addison, Derek was dreaming. However, he continued having nightmares about the accident.

Meredith was reading a book on pregnancy, and noticed that her husband was trying to toss and turn. "Derek, wake up," she frantically whispered. Meredith didn't want Derek to hurt himself.

"I can't wait until we get to Vegas and I can make you my wife," Alex seriously told Izzie.

"How long until we get to Vegas?" Izzie asked. She was tired of being in the car.

"It's going to take awhile," Alex told her. He was going to stop at a hotel later on.

"I hate to go back to California now," Naomi said to Laura. Naomi was worried about Addison. The sobs from her bedroom had echoed out into the kitchen because they had been so loud. She was still crying, but Cooper had gotten an alarm clock thrown at him for going in. Violet had followed him in and had a pillow thrown in her face.

"You need to get back to your life, Naomi. We're leaving tomorrow for New York. Addison needs to grieve on her own," Laura said. She was also worried about Addison.

Lexie entered her brother-in-law's room and was shocked to see that he was crying. Meredith looked like she was ready to fall apart. "What's wrong?" Lexie asked.

"He had a nightmare," Meredith explained, trying to calm her husband down.

"You need to calm, Derek. Do you want to be sedated?" Lexie questioned. Derek frantically shook his head.

"Breathe in and out slowly," Meredith advised. Derek was probably heading towards a panic attack.

Derek listened and finally began to calm down as Lexie examined him.

"Are you okay now?" Lexie wondered after she was done. Derek nodded. He did feel better now.

"I keep having nightmares," he confessed. Derek just wanted to stop reliving the accident. No one knew that he did remember and Derek was fine with that.

"About what?" asked Meredith. She was curious.

"I can't remember," Derek lied. He hoped Meredith and Lexie believed him.

Meredith and Lexie were suspicious, but they let it go. There was no use in upsetting Derek.

Derek went back to sleep, and Meredith returned to the trailer. She had decided that she could be alone, especially since Alex and Izzie had left for Vegas.

Addison couldn't get back to sleep after her dreams about Mark, so she got up at 1:00AM and began looking through photo albums.

Naomi and Sam got up at 2:13AM. They went into the living room. "What are you doing?" Sam asked Addison.

"I'm looking through photo albums," Addison explained as Evangeline kicked her really hard.

"Why are you doing this to yourself?" Naomi asked her. There was no use in getting hurt more.

"I want to remember the good times," Addison explained. She wanted to relive the times where she was happy.

"You need to stop hurting yourself like this," Sam said. He knew this couldn't be good for Addison or the baby.

Addison felt like she hurt less when she looked at the photo album, but she was exhausted. "I'm going to bed," she announced.

"That's good," Naomi said. Now she was really reluctant to leave Addison.

It was raining in the morning. Both Addison and Derek felt the rain reflected their mood.

"I'm bored," Derek whined to Bailey. There was nothing on TV and nothing to do.

"Get used to it because you're staying," Bailey told him. Derek wasn't going to be discharged early just because he was bored.

"Meredith's scared without me," Derek tried. It couldn't hurt to use the Meredith card.

"Don't you pull that on me," Bailey scolded, trying to hold back a laugh.

Addison walked through the door with Laura behind her. Addison was returning to work despite the fact that she was going on maternity leave in three weeks. She still had bereavement leave.

"How are you feeling?" the soaked Laura asked her son. She and the girls were heading back to New York in a few hours.

"I'm okay," Derek said. He wanted everything to go back to normal, but that probably wasn't going to happen.

"I just came to say goodbye. Your sisters and I will be back for the baby's birth," Laura told her son. She was hesitant to go home, but there was no choice. She had to.

"Love you," Derek replied. He wouldn't see his mother for a few months so he figured he should tell her.

"I love you too," Laura said. She hoped that her son got some help. He wasn't dealing well with Mark's death and he needed the help to get through it.

Fifteen minutes later, Laura left Seattle Grace. She wouldn't come back to Seattle until Meredith was due.

Izzie and Alex were nearly to Las Vegas. Neither was nervous. They were excited and happy.

"I'm going to be Mrs. Karev," Izzie sing-songed. Alex laughed.

"Baby, you're technically going to be Dr. Karev," Alex reminded her. He loved how enthusiastic Izzie was.

Izzie sighed. "If we're being technical about it, I'll be Dr. Stevens-Karev. Let me enjoy being Mrs. Karev," she said. She was going to be IZzie Karev in her personal life, but Izzie Stevens-Karev professionally. Having two Doctor Karevs would be confusing. That's why Meredith and Addison had hyphenated.

As they pulled into Vegas, Izzie couldn't wait to become Alex's wife.

A few minutes later, they found a wedding chapel to get married in.

"We'd like to say our own vows," Alex told the minister. He had come up with his idea the day before.

"You can do that," the minister said. He gestured to Alex to begin.

Alex struggled not to cry. Izzie had always been the only person he had been able to cry in front of. "Iz, I love you. You're my soulmate, a concept I didn't believe in until I met you. You're my rock and I can't imagine my life without you. You actually make me believe that I can be happy. Izzie, you've been with me through the good and the bad. Baby, I can't wait to spend of my life with you". A tear slipped out, but he didn't' care. Alex slipped the ring on Izzie's finger a few minutes later.

Izzie tried desperately to hold back the tears. "Alex, you know how much I love you. You know what I'm like. We will make this marriage work. I can't believe that I'm this happy. You're the most of my life. I can't wait to have babies with you. We are going to be so happy," Izzie sobbed. A few minutes later she placed the ring on Alex's finger.

The minister pronounced them man and wife. Alex and Izzie went to a hotel to celebrate their marriage. They would return to Seattle soon.

"Evangeline, stop kicking Mommy so hard," Addison whispered to her unborn daughter. Evangeline's kicking and the Braxton Hicks contractions were bothering her. Evangeline responded by kicking her mother again.

"We're starting to pack," Pete told Addison. He wanted to go home. Seattle was depressing him.

"That's good. What are you doing at the hospital?" the confused Addison asked him.

"We think you shouldn't be working," Pete told her. Addison was pushing herself too hard.

"I'm fine," Addison icily informed him. All she wanted to do was keep her mind off of Mark.

Pete sighed and went into Derek's room. He really liked Addison's ex-husband.

"He's sleeping," Lexie whispered. What she didn't know was that Derek was stuck in another nightmare about the accident.

"I'll go then," Pete whispered back. He went back to Addison's house and began to pack for the trip home.

"I hope that everything goes okay," Callie said to Erica. Everything was leaving, and Addison and Derek still weren't doing well with Mark dying.

"I'll take them a long time to recover," Erica said. Death affected people in different ways.

"What are you doing here?" Meredith asked Addison. She was surprised that the widow was already back to work.

"I'm doing my job," Addison coldly informed her. What was so wrong with going back to work?

Meredith just shook her head and left for the cafeteria. She was starving.

Derek was now awake and wishing he wasn't. He missed Mark so much. The nightmares about the accident were bothering him. He hated remembering what had happened that night. Derek had watched his best friend die. How was he supposed to deal with that?

He blinked his eyes and Meredith was talking to him. "When did you get here?" Derek asked.

Meredith frowned. "I got off work ten minutes ago. I was talking to you," she worriedly explained.

Derek decided to not let that bother him, but it was hard. "I'm tired," he said. It was true. He wanted to go back to sleep, which was weird since he had just woken up. "What time is it?" he asked.

"7:30," Meredith answered, wondering why her husband was asking.

Derek was confused. It had been 4:00 before. Had he gone back to sleep? Why was he still so tired? "What are you going to do tonight?" he asked his wife.

"Watch TV," Meredith replied. There was nothing else to do.

Derek fell asleep after Meredith left to go home. He was exhausted. He continued to have nightmares about the accident.

Addison went home around 11:30PM and headed into her room. She cried herself to sleep because crying, working, eating, and sleeping were the only things she could do right now.

"_I miss you," Addison told Mark _as she began to dream. _Evangeline cooed in her stroller._

"_I think you'll do okay," Mark said. He pushed the stroller back and forth._

_  
"Why'd you leave me?" Addison asked him just as something began to beep loudly._

Addison startled awake to her alarm clock. She luckily hadn't broken it after throwing it at Cooper.

She groaned. It was hard waking up in the morning, especially for something mundane like work. Addison hated work right now.

She got up and went into the shower. Life had become bad since Mark's death. Addison was glad to have Evangeline.

Derek was also awake, but he wasn't sure what was happening. He was now flashing back about the accident when he was awake. Derek didn't know why.

Meredith couldn't wait to go to work and see Derek. She was happy for the first time since Friday night. It felt like everything was finally returning to normal.

"I can't wait to go back to Seattle," Izzie said to Alex. She couldn't wait to introduce Alex as her husband.

"We'll surprise all of our friends," Alex replied. Only Meredith knew the truth.

"Do you think that they'll be happy?" Izzie questioned. She hoped they would be.

"They'll be thrilled," Alex assured his new wife. Maybe Cristina wouldn't be, but that was okay.

"I can't believe we're married," Izzie told him. She loved Alex so much.

"I can," Alex said. He couldn't wait to be home and start his life with this woman.

Izzie giggled and kissed her husband.

Addison checked on a few of her patients and went to see Derek. He probably understood what she was going through.

"I miss him," Derek confessed to Addison when she brought up Mark.

"How are you doing with all this?" Addison questioned. She had been wondering for a while now.

Derek rolled his eyes. As far as he was concerned, he had just answered. "I wish he hadn't died," he told her.

"Me too," Addison murmured. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat as she felt a Braxton Hicks contraction.

"How are you doing?" Derek asked. He knew that she hadn't reacted well to Mark's death.

"I feel like life is never going to be the same again," Addison replied honestly.

"You're right," Derek conceded. He was sad without Mark.

"I'm hungry," Addison complained. She stood up and left to go to the cafeteria.

Derek fell asleep and continued to dream about Mark's death. He dreamt about nothing else.

"How's the baby?" Lexie asked Addison. She couldn't wait until Addison and Meredith had their babies.

"She's fine," Addison sharply replied. Why wouldn't anyone leave her alone? Everything was okay.

"I was just asking," Lexie muttered. She was worried about the widow.

"Don't ask anymore," Addison snapped. She didn't what was wrong with her except for Mark's death.

"Okay," Lexie agreed. She hoped that Addison would stop being mean soon.

"What are you getting to eat?" Addison asked, her mood changing. Lexie blamed it on grief and mood swings.

Lexie shrugged. "I don't know," she replied.

Addison went to grab an apple, but gasped as a searing pain rippled throughout her stomach. "Something's wrong," she gasped out.

"Are you going into labor?" asked a frantic Lexie, grabbing Addison's hand.

She didn't receive an answer because Addison's water broke.

Addison had gone into premature labor.

TBC

* * *

Sorry I didn't update sooner. Writer's block and stuff. Plus my cat died last Sunday. I was going to update last week, but the cat dying gave me even more writer's block.

I'm going to continue updating this story. This is the one I'm gong to focus on for awhile.

I didn't even come up with the Addison going into premature labor plot twist until I was halfway through the chapter.

Look for the next update sometime this week. Probably not this weekend. I'm going to see the X-Files movie.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's Anatomy.

* * *

Fear overtook Addison as Lexie took her to the emergency room. "It's too early," Addison cried.

"What's wrong?" George asked his girlfriend. Lexie was leading Addison, and George had no idea why.

"Her water broke," Lexie explained as she helped Addison onto a bed.

"But she's too early," George said. This was not good.

"Call Doctor Millar," Lexie ordered. She would have called Alex, but he was nowhere around. George nodded.

"This is not supposed to happen," Addison cried. Why was this happening to Evangeline? The baby didn't deserve this.

"You and Evangeline are going to be fine. Don't panic," Lexie told her.

"She can't come out yet," Addison replied. She cried out in pain as a contraction hit.

"She's coming, but you'll have to be strong for her," Lexie soothed. This stress couldn't be good for Evangeline, but neither was the premature labor.

"Make it stop," Addison sobbed as the contraction ended. She didn't want to have the baby early. She didn't want Evangeline to die.

"I can't," Lexie regretfully told her. She wished these bad things would stop happening to Addison though.

Janice Millar entered the room. "Addison, you and the baby will be taken of," she promised. Even though she was being reassuring, Janice was worried about her and the baby.

"I'm scared," Addison confessed. She wanted Mark. He would know what to do.

"It's okay," Lexie soothed as Janice began to examine Addison and the unborn Evangeline.

"Get Meredith," Addison told George. Meredith had offered to be her backup coach a few months earlier in case Mark was stuck in surgery. She had even gone to a few Lamaze classes, which would probably be helpful for her own labor.

George nodded and went after Meredith. "You're about three centimeters dilated. It's going to be awhile before the baby's born," Janice told Addison. The baby's heart rate was fine, so there was no need for a c-section.

"You want ice chips?" Lexie asked Addison. She shook her head.

Meredith burst into the room, looking worried. "I'm here to help," she said. Lexie breathed a sigh of relief and went back to working.

"I'm only three centimeters dilated. Go work for awhile," Addison told her. She didn't want to bore Meredith.

"It's fine. I called Cristina and asked her to cover me. She agreed," Meredith explained. She was lying a little. After hearing that Addison had asked for her, Webber had given her the day off.

"I don't want her to come this early," Addison wailed. She was so scared.

"Evangeline will get great medical care," Meredith assured her. She hoped everything went well. Addison seemed to be stressing herself out even more.

Addison winced as another contraction started. They hurt more than she had expected. The widow grabbed Meredith's hand. "Don't leave me," she begged.

"I'm not going to leave you," Meredith promised. Addison was a little irrational, but that was okay. Things had been bad since Friday.

"I can't wait to go home," Izzie said to her husband. Going somewhere always seemed to go fast, but coming home took forever.

"Me neither," Alex said. His cell phone started ringing, but he ignored it to kiss his wife.

"Answer that," Izzie murmured. She had a bad feeling and didn't want Alex to miss the call.

Alex reluctantly picked up his phone. The caller ID read Lexie. "What's up?" he asked.

"Addison went into labor," Lexie said. She had been working and had realized Alex and Izzie should know.

"We're hours away. How is she?" Alex questioned. He figured the stress of Mark's death had sent her into premature labor.

"She's panicking, but Meredith is with her. She's also refusing an epidural," Lexie explained. Addison had decided on natural childbirth.

"See you soon," Alex said. He hung up the phone and told Izzie about Addison's premature labor.

Derek was bored, lonely, and sad. He had cried again and continued flashing back to the accident. Reliving Mark's death made the hurt worse.

"Where's Meredith?" he asked Lexie when she entered his room.

Lexie hesistated. She didn't want to upset her brother-in-law, but Derek would find out eventually. "Addison went into premature labor and Meredith is with her."

"Are they going to be okay?" Derek asked. He knew his ex-wife. Addison was probably terrified.

"They're okay for now," Lexie explained. She was getting sick and tired of telling people individually.

Derek didn't hear her. He was seeing the accident again. Why was this happening to him? "What did you say?" he asked after snapping out of the flashback.

Lexie stared at him, concerned. "What's wrong?"

Derek sighed. He had nothing to lose. "I keep seeing the accident in my head," he sobbed.

Something pinged for Lexie about that, but she ignored it for a second. "I thought you said you didn't remember the accident," Lexie reminded him.

"I lied," Derek replied, trying unsuccessfully to stop crying.

"Why?" Lexie asked. The doctor didn't understand why he had lied.

"It hurts so much, but I can't get it out of my head. I saw my best friend die," Derek sobbed. He thought catching Addison and Mark together had been the worst moment in his life, but watching his best friend/brother die had been.

Lexie tried not to cry herself. She was struggled with that for a few minutes before letting a few tears fall. "Derek, I think you have symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. It's too early to tell yet, but I think you have it."

"I don't think I do," Derek said. He was a doctor. He knew how to handle stress. There was no way he had PTSD.

Lexie decided not to say anything else. Derek was denial and that was okay. She made a mental note to talk to Meredith when her sister wasn't busy. "What's on TV?" she questioned. Maybe distracting Derek would help.

Addison was taking a nap. She had decided to sleep before the really bad contractions kicked in. "Be quiet," Meredith whispered to Callie, who had stopped in for a minute.

"I hope that everything goes well," Callie whispered back. She didn't think anyone could handle losing Addison or the baby (Or both, but she didn't want to think about that) less than a week after Mark's death.

"We won't know until the baby's born," Meredith replied. Evangeline and Addison seemed to be doing fine for now, but that could change.

"Erica and I are going home soon. Call if anything happens," Callie said. She had spent two straight days at the hospital for Derek, and she couldn't do it for Addison. It was a little selfish actually, but the waiting would drive her nuts.

"I will," Meredith told her. Addison made a noise, but continued to sleep. Erica came in to get Callie, and the two left Seattle Grace.

"I hope that the baby isn't going to be sick," Izzie said. She could tell Alex was worried. Addison's blood pressure had been high early in her pregnancy, but that problem had gone away. The fear of miscarriage hadn't faded until the twelve week mark.

"There might be some problems," Alex told her. He didn't know what, but Evangeline was two months early. There were things that could go wrong.

"Addison's probably scared," Izzie murmured. She knew how much Addison wanted to be a mother.

"I bet she is," Alex agreed. He couldn't wait to tell everyone he married Izzie. Their marriage was the first happy news in days, except for Meredith's pregnancy.

"Are we going to stop and eat?" Izzie asked. She was hungry.

"Sure," Alex said. He was also hungry. Eating would take his mind off of Addison's premature labor.

Twenty minutes later, he and Izzie stopped off at a diner toe at. They ordered their food and made out until it arrived.

Addison was awake, and screaming in the midst of a contraction. It hurt a lot. "Addison, you need to calm down," Meredith said. Addison was scaring her.

"It's too early," Addison sobbed, the fear hitting her again. Evangeline was going to die and leave her alone. She didn't know if she could handle it.

"Everything will be fine," Meredith soothed. Addison's contractions were more intense than they had been earlier.

Janice came in again to check on the widow. "You're about seven centimeters dilated," she said after a few minutes.

"You're almost there, Ad. Hang on," Meredith encouraged. Addison's labor was going really fast. She expected to be in the delivery room soon.

"Don't leave," Addison begged again. She had this irrational fear that Meredith was going to go somewhere else.

Meredith stared at her in shock. "I promise not to leave you," she told her.

Derek was watching TV, but there was nothing on. Lexie had left about ten minutes earlier, promising to be back later. "Mark, I miss you," he called. He knew it was stupid, but it felt comforting to talk to Mark.

Derek began crying yet again, because that was all he seemed capable of doing lately. Stupid grief. He wanted to go back to Thursday, when everything was normal. Sometimes, in his darkest moments, Derek wished he had died instead of Mark.

Bailey came in. "I came to make sure that you're okay," she told him. She tried to ignore Derek's sobs, but it was hard. The mother in her was coming out.

"I wish Mark was back," Derek wailed, not answering her question.

"I know you do, Baby. That hurt will never fade, but you'll push it back," Bailey said. She felt devastated for Derek.

"How?" Derek asked. He didn't feel like anything good was about to happen, except for the births of Evangeline and his and Meredith's sons. Evangeline's birth might even go bad.

Bailey shrugged. "I think you'll grieve for him until you wake up one day and feel normal," she explained.

Derek's sobs slowed down. "I ache a little," he said. Bailey looked confused for a second, and then remembered her earlier question.

"Do you want some pain medication?" Bailey questioned. She knew he was due for some. Derek nodded.

"Thanks," Derek told her a few minutes later. HE appreciated her trying to help him grieve for Mark.

"You're welcome," Bailey replied. She couldn't even imagine what the next few months would be like. Mark's death had affected a lot of people. Bailey exited the room.

"You're doing so good," Meredith told Addison, who was trying to breathe through a contraction. The contractions were getting stronger, but Addison still didn't want an epidural.

"It hurts," Addison told her, trying not to start crying again.

"I know it does. But you've made it this far. You can keep doing this," Meredith encouraged, wiping a wet washcloth across Addison's forehead.

"I wish Mark was here," Addison replied. She said it many times, but Meredith wasn't about to point that out.

"He's here in spirit," Meredith said. She had a feeling Mark was watching over his wife and unborn daughter.

Addison smiled. "Thanks for that, Meredith." She was happy to have Meredith with her through this.

"I think you and Evangeline should move in with us," Meredith said. She and Derek were moving into their house in two weeks because it was nearly done. She knew Derek wouldn't mind since Addison was his ex-wife.

"I'd like that," Addison answered. She was grateful to Meredith. Janice came into the room to examine Addison again.

"You're nine centimeters dilated," Janice informed her. The doctor knew that Addison's baby would be born sometime in the next few hours.

"Evangeline will be in your arms," Meredith told Addison. She couldn't want to see the baby.

Addison went to answer, but gasped in pain as a contraction began assailing her. "I hate contractions," she gasped out, grabbing Meredith's hand.

"It'll all be over soon," Meredith soothed, wishing Addison would let go of her hand. It was starting to hurt.

"Shut up," Addison screamed. She couldn't handle any comfort right now.

"Sorry," Meredith apologized. She definitely wanted an epidural when she gave birth.

"I'm sorry," Addison apologized when the contraction finally ended. She was being really mean.

"It's okay," Meredith assured her. She understood why Addison was acting this way.

"I never wanted to be a single mom," Addison admitted a few hours later. She and Mark had been thrilled to learn of her pregnancy. They had been so happy. Now their happiness had been ruined by a stupid car accident.

"You'll be a great mom, despite the fact that you have to do it alone," Meredith told her. She pictured Addison as the perfect mother.

"Mark told me that I should move on eventually," Addison said. She couldn't imagine falling in love with a new man.

"You don't have to move on right away," Meredith pointed, briefly wondering if they had already had this conversation. Anyway, she thought it would take the widow years to find someone to love again.

"I'm never doing this again," Addison declared in the middle of another contraction. She would gladly adopt.

Meredith laughed. "You might eventually, Addison."

"I'm already in my forties, Meredith. The chance of conceiving again is rare," Addison said. She couldn't picture getting pregnant again. This pregnancy had been a miracle to begin with.

Meredith shrugged and decided to change the subject. "I'm so glad everyone went home. I was getting tired of people." She shrugged again when Addison shot her a look.

"I think I have to push," Addison announced, her voice strained. She couldn't believe her labor had progressed so fast.

"Get Dr. Millar," Meredith snapped to one of the nurses. She went over to Addison, who had started to push.

"Wait," Meredith tried, but she had already resigned herself to the fact that she would have to deliver the baby.

"I can't," Addison moaned. The contraction stopped and she tried to relax.

"The baby's crowning," Meredith excitedly told her. She encouraged her to begin pushing when another contraction started.

Dr. Millar entered the room a minute later, but the baby had already entered the world and was crying.

"Everything went so fast," Meredith breathlessly explained, turning Evangeline over to Janice.

"I'll check her out. You did great, Meredith," Janice said. She had been shocked to hear that Addison was ready to start pushing.

Addison was exhausted and excited. "How's my baby?" she asked.

Janice didn't answer at first, worrying the new mother. "She's five pounds and thirteen ounces. We're taking your daughter to the NICU as a precaution. What's her name?"

Addison smiled. "Evangeline Meredith Sloan," she replied. Meredith shot her a shocked look.

"Are you okay now?" Meredith asked. She had to go see her husband before she went home.

Addison nodded. "Go see Derek. I'll be fine." An odd look crossed her face though.

"What's wrong?" Janice asked, immediately worried.

"I'm having another contraction," the confused Addison explained, not understanding what that meant.

"I think there's another baby," Janice cried. Meredith returned to Addison's side. She began pushing again. Three minutes later another cry filled the fear.

"You did so great," Meredith told her, shocked beyond belief. She couldn't believe that Addison had given birth to twins.

"Is this baby okay too?" Addison wondered. She couldn't believe this had happened.

Janice went to check the unexpected twin. "It's a girl. She's four pounds, twelve ounces. We'll take to the NICU with Evangeline. Do you have another name?" she asked.

Addison nodded. "Her name will be Veronica Jacqueline Sloan," she decided. She was happy to be able to use Veronica too.

"Any more babies in there or can I go?" Meredith asked. She still couldn't believe there were twins.

"You can go," Addison told her, trying not to laugh. She was a mommy to twins. That was bizarre. One of the twins must have been hiding.

"Congratulations," Meredith told Addison before she left.

Nobody knew how much worse things could get.

TBC

* * *

I wasn't expecting the twins twist until I was halfway through the chapter. The next few chapters aren't going to be as long as they usually are. Trying to write ten pages per chapter stressed me out. I did get to eight pages and part of a ninth on this one before I decided to end it.

It's a little early for Derek's PTSD to be showing through, but I don't care. Right now he's suffering from acute stress reaction, which will turn into PTSD. I've planned that for a few chapters.

Things are going to get even more angstier if that's possible. Look for another update this week.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's Anatomy or any of the characters.

* * *

Derek was awake and watching TV when Meredith burst through the door. She had made a quick call to Callie, who had promised to call Naomi and Sam. "Is Evangeline here?" Derek asked his wife. Meredith nodded.

"There was an extra surprise in the delivery room. Evangeline came so fast that I had to deliver her. Then another baby was born-A little girl. Addison had twins and nobody knew. She named her Veronica Jacqueline Sloan. The twins are currently in the NICU," Meredith babbled to her husband. She still couldn't believe that Addison had given birth to twins. She hoped that Evangeline and Veronica were healthy. She was secretly scared for them, but she wasn't about to say anything to Derek. He had enough to worry about.

Derek stared at his wife in shock. "How did no one else know?" He would have thought that someone would have caught up to the fact that Addison was having twins.

Meredith shrugged. She and Derek began to talk about the next few weeks, and what they were planning on doing.

**Five Weeks Later…**

Addison adjusted Evangeline and stared at Veronica. Evangeline and Veronica were finally ready to come home, but Addison wasn't excited about that at all. She should be, but she wasn't. Addison even felt guilty about the fact that Mark wasn't going to be around to see Evangeline and Veronica.

"Are you ready to bring your girls home?" Meredith asked her. Something was wrong with Addison and she couldn't figure out what.

Addison nodded. She was so tired already, and hadn't even spent a night with the twins. There had been so much stressful things occurring lately, which had started with Mark's death. "At least Veronica's better," she murmured. Nothing was going right for her anymore.

Meredith sighed. "You need to think on the bright side, Addison. You have two little girls who you adore," she pointed out. The twins had just spent the first five weeks of their life in the NICU.

"I know," Addison conceded. She didn't feel like she could take care of the babies, despite the fact that Meredith and Derek were helping her. Derek was having his own problems, however. He zoned out sometimes, and Lexie claimed that he was suffering from PTSD.

"Congratulations on going home, Sloan women," Alex whispered, coming into Addison's room. He and Izzie had made it home as fast as they could, and had been surprised to learn of Veronica's existence.

"Thanks," Addison said. She didn't understand why everyone was so happy. She wasn't. Why should they be?

Alex and George helped Addison get into the car and strap the twins into their cars seats. "You are both so beautiful," Izzie cooed. She couldn't believe how adorable Mark and Addison's daughters were.

Addison rolled her eyes and Meredith stifled a laugh. Izzie loved being around the babies way too much. Derek just ignored everyone for the simple fact that he was lost in another flashback.

"We have to go now," Meredith informed the other doctors. She wanted to get home so the girls could get used to the house.

"Bye little Sloans," Alex whispered to Evangeline and Veronica. He adored the little girls and had already declared himself Uncle Alex.

"Bye," Addison said irritably. Alex was driving her up the wall, and she had no idea why. Her moods was constantly changing, something that was expected after the arrival of a baby, or babies in Addison's case.

Alex shared a look with George and Izzie. Izzie had noticed Addison's weird behavior since the twins' birth, but George hadn't. Alex had a theory about what was going on with Addison. "See you later," he called as Addison pulled the door shut and Meredith took off.

"What was with that look?" Izzie asked her husband. She didn't understand why Alex had been acting so weird around Addison.

"I think Addison has Post Partum Depression," Alex explained. He had been noticing the symptoms for at least two weeks now.

Izzie thought about that for a second. "It's a definite possibility," she agreed. Addison's behavior seemed to point towards Post Partum Depression.

"Derek's behavior is pointing towards Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder," George said. He and Lexie had agreed on what was bothering Derek a few weeks earlier.

"So many things have gone wrong since Mark's death," Izzie sadly observed. No one had been happy since the night of Derek and Mark's accident.

"Nothing really good has happened," Alex pointed out. Only Meredith's pregnancy and the twins going home were the only good things to happen in the five weeks since Mark's death.

"What are we supposed to do?" George asked. It would be hard to get Addison and Derek help because both were probably convinced they were fine.

Alex shrugged. "We'll think of something later," he decided. Right now, he had to work. Thinking about Addison, Derek, and the girls wasn't beneficial at the moment.

XXXXXXXX

Addison just wanted to go home and fall asleep. Meredith and Derek would take care of Evangeline and Veronica. She didn't think she would ever be able to be happy with her daughters. She hated Mark for leaving her alone to raise two little girls.

"Exactly how long are we letting my ex-wife stay here?" Derek whispered to Meredith. He didn't mind Addison and the twins staying, but he was curious.

Meredith glared at her husband. "Until she gets back on her feet," she whispered back angrily. What was wrong with Derek?

"Sorry," Derek apologized. It must have sounded bad to Meredith, especially because of her pregnancy.

"It's okay," Meredith assured him. The pregnancy hormones were driving everyone crazy, especially herself.

"Will you two shut up?" Addison snapped. She couldn't believe how annoying they were. Meredith and Derek were her friends, but she couldn't stand them right now.

"We're sorry," Derek said. Something was wrong with Addison, but Derek wasn't sure what.

"I'm going to bed," Addison declared. She completely ignored the girls and went straight into her bed.

"I hope she's okay," a worried Meredith said to Derek. He nodded.

"Maybe Mark's death is finally hitting her or the twins' premature arrival is," he suggested. He had no clue what was wrong with his ex-wife. Derek never really had. Maybe that was had driven Addison to Mark in the first place.

"Maybe," Meredith agreed as Evangeline began to cry. She went over to the oldest twin and checked to see what was wrong.

"Why's she crying?" Derek asked as he went to go see Veronica. Mark and Addison did make beautiful babies. It was horrible that Mark hadn't lived to see his daughters.

"She needs a new diaper," Meredith explained, not realizing she was using baby-talk. Derek stifled a laugh. His wife would be a great mother once their son was born.

"You do that," Derek said quickly. He wasn't ready to change a diaper yet.

Meredith laughed. "You have to do it eventually, Derek."

"But I don't want to," Derek whined before the scene changed and he was reliving the accident.

Meredith was too busy changing Evangeline's diaper to notice that her husband wasn't exactly with her. "All done," Meredith cried happily. Evangeline cooed happily and stared at her godmother.

Derek snapped out of his flashback a few seconds later, Meredith none the wiser. "What are we going to have for dinner today?" he asked his wife.

Meredith shrugged. "I figure we could get take-out. I bet none of us feel like cooking anything." She knew Addison wouldn't be up to it, Derek was still healing from his injuries, and she was exhausted from her pregnancy.

"I want chicken wings and pizza," Derek declared. He had a really bad craving for them.

"What about Addison and me?" Meredith questioned. She was also hungry for pizza, but wasn't about to tell Derek that.

"You can get something else," Derek mumbled. He was the one who had nearly died in the car accident, so that should mean that he got first pick of food.

"It's fine," Meredith told him. She would probably get a salad and eat a few of Derek's chicken wings. Addison might not be happy. She had eaten earlier, but not too much. She hadn't been eating too much for awhile now.

"Should we wait until Addison gets up?" Derek questioned. He didn't want to feel Addison's wrath.

"We'll order her something healthy," Meredith decided. Addison was still recovering from her premature labor and Mark's death, so her appetite was a little off.

She began to order their food a few minutes later, not realizing the problems that Addison was experiencing.

XXXXXXXX

Alex's plan started a few days later. He had to convince Addison of her Post Partum Depression and Derek of his Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

"Is this really going to work?" asked a skeptical Callie. She and Erica had been dragged into the plan, along with Cristina and Webber.

"It's going to work," Alex said. He knew it would. Derek and Addison desperately needed help.

"I have to be annoying around Derek," Izzie pointed out. How would that get him to admit he needed help for the PTSD?

"You know what your part in this is," Alex reminded his wife. Izzie had to bother Derek about PTSD until he realized he had it and agreed to go to Dr. Wyatt again.

After three hours of Izzie bothering him, Derek gave up. "I don't have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder," he yelled. So what if he was having flashbacks? That was normal after a car accident.

Izzie sighed. "Dr. Shepherd, you need help. I'm pretty sure you had four flashbacks in these past three hours. You're sad all the time. Please get help," she begged. Derek was making her depressed.

"I don't need help," Derek insisted. He was fine. Nothing was wrong.

Izzie stared at him. "Dr. Shepherd, it's okay if you need help. Your best friend is dead. He abandoned you," she pushed. Pushing Derek wasn't part of the plan, but it could help him.

Derek was beginning to lose the fight. "I'm fine," he insisted, struggling not to cry. Crying wouldn't help his case at all.

Izzie continued to push. "Mark abandoned you. He left you alone here. You have to deal with his wife and daughters because he didn't stay. Now you're stuck here!"

Derek finally lost the battle and began to sob. "I'm sorry," he cried. He didn't mean to get PTSD. How was he supposed to know that could happen?

"Will you get help?" Izzie asked, feeling uncomfortable. She really didn't want to be around Derek while he was crying.

Derek nodded and bolted to Meredith's side. She had been made aware of the plan before it had been implemented.

XXXXXXXX

Addison was exhausted. The twins were bothering her. Veronica and Evangeline cried way too much, and Addison was sick of it.

"Why don't you leave me alone?" she asked Callie and Erica. The two wouldn't leave her alone. At least Derek was being bothered by Izzie, even if he was now crying.

"Because you need us," Erica told her. She just wanted the past five weeks to have never happened. Derek and Addison would still be fine, and maybe Addison would still be pregnant.

Addison rolled her eyes. "I don't need you. I'm fine," she lied. She hadn't felt fine since the call about Mark and Derek's accident.

"We don't believe you," Callie said. She really didn't. Addison couldn't just automatically recover from her husband's death, her premature labor, and an unexpected baby during said premature labor.

Addison rolled her eyes again. "I feel fine. Nothing is wrong," she insisted, her voice shrill. That was not good. Her voice going shrill had never been something good.

"Addison Forbes Montgomery-Sloan," Callie warned. She had no patience for Addison's lies.

"I know what's wrong with me," Addison finally snapped. She had recognized the symptoms for awhile now, but had wanted to remain in denial.

"Then you need help," Erica gently told her. She didn't want Addison to be emotionally detached from Evangeline and Veronica.

"I don't need help," Addison declared. She could get over the Post-Partum depression and would be fine.

"Yes you do," Callie replied. She was worried about one of her best friends.

"I'll think about it," Addison decided a few minutes later. She wouldn't, but nobody would know that.

"You're not going to think about it. You'll get help," Erica corrected.

"Fine," Addison shrieked, surprising her friends. She would get "help", but it wouldn't work.

For the first time in five weeks, things were looking up. Addison and Derek's friends and family couldn't ask for more.

TBC


	8. Epilogue

Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, or anything related to the shows.

* * *

Thanksgiving was a big deal for the group of friends at Seattle Grace. They got together every year.

"Stop trying to cheat," twenty-seven year old Evangeline Sloan screeched to best friend Mark Alexander Grey-Shepherd.

Mark rolled his eyes. "I'm **not **trying to cheat, Lin. Leave me alone so we can play," he screamed back. The two got along well, but they were on opposite teams during the annual Thanksgiving football game.

"You are all weird," Veronica Sloan-Karev informed them. The seven months pregnant teacher was just sitting back and watching everyone play.

"Baby, you're weird too," husband Luke Karev unwisely pointed out. He nearly shrunk when his wife glared at him.

"I'm hungry again," twenty-five year old Lola Elyse Grey-Shepherd whined. She had eaten a lot at dinner, but loved food.

"Go in and eat again," Meredith encouraged. She and Derek didn't want to be stuck with tons of leftovers.

"Are there any chocolate chip cookies left?" asked Mark and Lola's curious twenty-three year old sister Vivienne Rhiannon Grey-Shepherd.

"Vivy, of course are there," Derek assured his daughter. Vivy loved eating chocolate chip cookies.

"Wait for me," Lola called to her younger sister. She didn't want to eat alone.

"I want to play football instead of eating again," twenty-one year old Sloan Amelia Grey-Shepherd complained. No one was taking the game seriously this year.

"I'm with her," declared twenty-two year old Joanna Karev. She and Amelia were eleven months apart, and very close. Joanna and Meredith were the only ones allowed to call Amelia by her first name.

"So am I," said Morgan Torres-Hahn, Callie and Erica's adopted daughter. She was nineteen and home from college. Morgan just wanted to have fun.

"What are we talking for?" whined seventeen year old Jayden Isabella Grey-Shepherd. Jayden had been Meredith and Derek's surprise baby. They had already had a ten year old, an eight year old, a six year old, and a four year old when Meredith had gotten pregnant with Jayden.

"Because we can't play without team members," Carys Wilder replied. Carys was the adopted daughter of Addison Montgomery-Sloan-Wilder and Pete Wilder.

"Are we ever going to do anything else?" asked Keely Wilder. Keely was another adopted daughter of Addison and Pete.

"I don't think so," Tristan Wilder said. Addison had eventually been helped with her Post Partum Depression, just like Derek had been helped with his Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Five years after Mark's death, Addison and Pete had gotten together. They had married a year later. The couple had later adopted the now sixteen year old Carys, the now fourteen year old Keely, and the now eleven year old Tristan. Evangeline and Veronica adored their three younger siblings immediately.

"What are we going to do later on tonight?" asked George and Lexie's son, twenty year old Ryan James Grey-O'Malley.

"We'll probably just eat again," his eighteen year old sister, Caroline May Grey-O'Malley, whispered to him. Ryan and Caroline were George and Lexie's only children, unlike the five Meredith and Derek had, and the four that Molly and her husband had.

Life had changed in the twenty-seven years since Mark's death, but there had been good changes and bad changes.

Everyone was happy, even if they did miss Mark. Both Addison and Derek cried on the anniversary of Mark's death, and their children and friends knew to leave them alone on that day.

The accident had changed everyone's lives. Derek still occasionally felt the repercussions of that horrific night. He always had nightmares around the anniversary.

Life was better than anyone thought it could have been twenty-seven years earlier after the accident.

They couldn't ask for more.

The End

* * *

I wanted to finish this before I started college. Do you think I should make the rating a T? I don't know if the death scene warrants an "M" or not. I was safe and put it in "M", but now I'm not sure.

I've decided not to do the Can't Buy Me Love/GA crossover. It'd be too hard to fit everything in.


End file.
